Into The Rabbit Hole

by Khardine Gray

  “We’re okay,” she decided to say. “I worry about him, though, and what he’s going through. It’s a lot to deal with. I feel bad for him and I wish there was more I could do to help.”

  “I think you help him by just being there, here.” Wes smiled, sympathy filling his eyes. “That’s all you can do sometimes.”

  “Yes.” She completely agreed because that was her only option. She still wished she’d been more understanding towards Wade when Merissa told her about their son. She’d always wonder if her understanding would have changed the course of events. Maybe Merissa wouldn’t have died. She would never know.

  “There’s a lot for everyone to get through. I guess by now you realize there’s heaps more to what’s going on than we know,” Wes intoned, biting the inside of his lip.

  “Heaps.” It bothered her a lot that she didn’t know everything. She hadn’t spoken to Regina properly since that day at the station, and she didn’t think that if she asked she’d be told any additional information. She tried asking Wade, but he knew as much as her.

  “I often wonder what old Ben Vanderville really gets up to. Have you seen the news?”

  She noted the concern in his eyes. “I stopped watching a few days back.”

  “Probably a good idea. Ben’s all over it. Every day there’s a new scandal, and when I say scandal, I mean serious stuff. It’s obvious this Aaron person is just feeding the press with their daily dose of front pagers.”

  That didn’t sound good at all. All these years she’d had her reservations about Ben. It was perhaps from her early childhood that she started feeling uncomfortable around him. Not for any reason in particular as he’d never done anything to her, but it was just that uneasy feeling she got whenever she was around him. It was like a warning that something wasn’t quite right with him. Now she knew why. She’d seen some things on the news about him before Wade came home. It was all quite disturbing. The scandals were all allegations, but she thought it was true. That part she never talked about with Wade. She didn’t think it was appropriate for her to. Ben was his father, and she respected that. There were certain lines you shouldn’t cross.

  “I’m keeping my head down on that,” she stated, to which Wes nodded vigorously.

  “Our work is done. Let the police do the rest.” He smiled. “I think I earned my wings by helping Wade.”

  “He’s very grateful to you, Wes. Honestly, I know.”

  “It’s okay if he’s not. It’s all done now. I’m good as long as he backs off and doesn’t think I’m trying to steal his girl.” Wes did the voice again.

  Chloe laughed again at that, but then she thought about it. “Have you ever wondered how comes we never got together?”

  He inclined his head to the side and moved one of his useless pawns across the board. “I hope you don’t get mad at me if I say not really.” He pressed his lips together and gave her a tentative look.

  She laughed at his expression. “No, of course not.”

  “Oh, good. Did you ever wonder why we never got together?” he asked through gritted teeth, as if he was scared she’d say yes.

  She frowned at him. “Relax, Wes, it’s just a question.” She picked up one of his pawns and threw it at him.

  “I’m just messing around, geez.” He chuckled. “Well tell me then, did you ever wonder about us?”

  She shook her head. “No, because you were more like a brother to me. We both don’t have any siblings. I just took you as mine.”

  His features softened and appreciation filled his eyes. “That’s real sweet, Chloe. That means a lot to me.”

  She knew it did for many reasons. It wasn’t often that she thought of his family situation, or rather his situation with his family. He was adopted and she supposed she could think of their relationship as an adopted one. He was her brother because he was everything a brother would be. A best friend, the person you could rely on to always be there, and the person who you knew would love you no matter what and always.

  “You mean a lot to me.” She smiled.

  “Hey, don’t make me go all soft. I need to gear myself up for action in case I need to use my fists.”

  “You won’t.” Lost in the sentiment, she moved the same pawn she played earlier by accident.

  When she winced, Wes shook his head and moved his knight to a useless place on the board, purposely ignoring her move.

  Just as he did that she heard the front door open and seconds later Wade walked through to the sitting room with Taylor.

  Laughter and lightheartedness aside, Wade looked drained, but she noticed a difference in him. In the way that he carried himself. Taylor smiled at her, but her eyes zeroed in on Wes and her cheeks grew rosy as she smiled at him brightly.

  “You’re back,” Chloe said, standing up.

  “And before you say anything, look, see, we’re just playing chess,” Wes said to Wade. “No stealing here.”

  “Sure, I can see. You just moved in on my sister instead,” Wade answered.

  Chloe folded her arms and tried to read his expression. Because he looked so drained she couldn’t tell if he was just messing around. And he had his beard. When he shaved she could decipher his expressions a little easier. Wes stood up, too, as Wade moved closer to them.

  “Oh, come on, man. Give me a damn break,” Wes complained.

  When she saw the hint of a smile in Wade’s eyes, Chloe relaxed a little and brightened when she saw him reach out his hand to shake Wes’.

  “Wes,” Wade said. That was the first time he’d called him that. It was always Wesley, and he made a point of enunciating every syllable in his name to emphasize his annoyance. “Thank you. For all that you’ve done. You didn’t have to help me, but I stand here now because of you.”

  Wes narrowed his eyes and looked down at Wade’s hand, thinking for a few seconds before he shook it. “You’re welcome. This isn’t a five-minute, friendly head start before you kick my ass, is it?”

  Wade looked embarrassed by that. It was a high school joke that Chloe remembered well.

  “No, there never should have been any five-minute head starts. I was a stupid jock with no aim in life. You were far cooler than me. I’m sorry. None of that should have happened.” Wade gave him an apologetic smile.

  “It’s alright.” Wes returned the smile. “You okay?”

  Wade nodded and looked over at her. There was something different about the way he looked at her. Something different in his eyes that she couldn’t quite describe. Something good, something that reminded her of how he looked when they first got together. It was a look of desire, but with something more, something more than love.

  They all talked for a while and then Taylor and Wes left, leaving them to themselves. They went outside and sat next to each other by the poolside, enjoying what was left of the day.

  “I haven’t thanked you, yet, for sending my family,” he said, kissing the top of her head. She straightened up and looked at him.

  “You don’t have to.”

  He twisted around so that he was facing her. “I do. You’re amazing, Chloe. I really needed someone there because it was too much.”

  Although she was glad she’d helped in some small way, she was sorry he had to go through it all.

  “What happened?”

  He looked down, sighed, then returned his gaze to her. “Merissa’s mom was there.”

  She gasped. “Really? Did she say anything to you?” Chloe really hoped that nothing more unpleasant happened.

  “She did. I was worried she’d tell me to leave, but she didn’t. We talked for a little bit about what happened, and apparently she never thought I was guilty.”

  She released the breath she’d been holding on to, relieved and happy to hear that. “That’s good.”

  “Talking helped. I was glad that she didn’t think I was capable of hurting Merissa, but what was even more difficult for me was they buried Merissa with our baby.”

  She gasped, surprised by that. That must
have been more difficult than she anticipated.

  “He had a name and everything, her surname,” he added.

  She could see the hurt on his face. The strength of it gripped her heart.

  “I’m so sorry, Wade. I really am, and I wish that there was something more that I could do to help you.” She felt so helpless and useless.

  “There isn’t, baby.” He took hold of her hand and covered it with both of his. “No one can help. It’s just one of those things in life that will either destroy me and break me down, or make me stronger for having lived through it. I’ll always blame myself for what happened to them. That will never leave me, neither will their memories. I almost did allow it all to destroy me, but then I realized that I didn’t want it to. What I wanted was a chance with you.”

  “A chance.” She smiled. “Wade, you have me.”

  “You have me, too, and that means I have to give you a hundred percent. Not just a part of me. I won’t get over what’s happened, but I will try to be the man you deserve.”

  “Wade. You don’t have to do anything.”

  “I do, and I’d like to start by asking you to go away with me on a short break.” He smiled.

  She straightened up. “Away? Really?”

  He nodded and the sparkle in his dreamy eyes made her cheeks warm. “Just us, baby, you and me. For a week?”

  How exciting. She looked at him, gazing deeply into his loving eyes, and couldn’t imagine saying no. “Yes.” She jumped into his lap, threw her arms around him, and kissed him.

  He slipped his arms around her waist, lifted his head, and smiled up at her.

  “Are you sure it’s okay? I mean, with everything happening.” She thought they should consider that.

  “Yes, we need to. There’s always been something happening to distract us and get in the way. There’s a lot I have to face, especially with Zeek, and I need some time off before I can do that. We need time off from everything and everyone.”

  As much as she loved everyone, she had to agree. They needed a break. “Where do you want to go?”

  “Hawaii, how about there? It’s not too far to be if we’re needed and just far enough to get away.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Hawaii? Really?” She’d always wanted to go there, always.

  “Yeah. Is that a yes, then, baby?”

  “It’s an absolute yes. Thanks so much.” She lowered to kiss his lips, feeling lucky and excited at the same time to go away with him, but also thankful to have him home.

  Regina

  The same evening that Cora unleashed the virus she devised, Aaron fed the press with the oil rig story telling the true tale of how over a hundred men lost their lives due to not having the correct health and safety procedures in place. Everyone now knew that Ben falsified documents to make his part in the disaster seem innocent.

  And by the following morning, Regina tuned in to the main news to watch the release she’d actually been waiting on. It was a given that Aaron would focus on his mother. After all, this whole misfortune was for her.

  She’d just gone into the kitchen, made her coffee, and was about to butter her toast, when she saw the reporter come on the TV interrupting the morning news report with her breaking news story. The minute Regina heard that, she knew what it was, even before the reporter opened her mouth to deliver the message.

  The headline then ran across the TV screen. Benjamin Vanderville and ex-con Jackson Donovan accused of killing Rachel Dean, a previous secretary to the state’s attorney.

  Brian came in for breakfast at the same time and stood next to Regina. He glanced down nervously at her as the reporter continued.

  They watched pictures of Rachel fill the screen. Pictures from significant points in her life, and then there were pictures of her with who Regina presumed was Aaron.

  “Rachel Dean was presumed missing twenty years ago and is to this day on the missing persons register,” the reporter stated. Her name, which Regina previously missed, flashed up on the screen. It was Julia Gibson. “Just this morning it’s been mysteriously brought to light that she may have been killed. The police were issued with a wedding band and they are currently running tests for fingerprints. We’ve also been told that she was killed because she had knowledge of all the shocking stories we’ve been airing this week with regards to Benjamin Vanderville. The police are currently investigating, so we’ll keep you updated once we know more.”

  Regina switched the TV off and pushed her toast to one side. She turned right into Brian’s embrace and rested her head against his chest. He held her and they stayed like that for a few seconds in the silent comfort of each other.

  “I’m scared,” she whispered against his chest. Her chest tightened, and a bevy of knots twisted within her stomach, all making the spaces around her ribs and lungs constrict.

  The waiting, the wondering. It was getting to her in a way that she felt like she could no longer manage. There was more to come. She could feel it.

  “I wish I’d gotten you out of this mess years ago,” Brian whispered against the top of her head.

  Before she could answer him, her phone started ringing. It was on the counter beside them. She left his arms to answer it and froze when she saw that no caller ID come up on the phone.

  It could have been anybody. That was a logical way to think of it. It could have been a salesperson, it could have been a company calling in regards to Runway. But her gut instinct told her it was Aaron.

  Brian moved past her and picked up the phone. Maybe he felt it, too. Maybe he felt that it was him, too.

  Brian answered the phone.

  “It’s Aaron, put me on speaker phone, Brian.” He was speaking that loudly that she could hear.

  Her nerves spiked and skin prickled. Brian pressed the button and put him on speakerphone.

  “Aaron, we are sorry for what happened to your mother,” Brian said. Regina looked at him, looked at the stern expression on his face and was grateful for his strength. “Since you know everything, you know that Regina is divorcing Ben. Wade and Taylor have nothing to do with any of what happened. Why can’t you leave them alone?”

  “You think it’s that simple. Talk to me and try to reason and I’ll drop it?” Aaron snarled. His voice took on a pitch that made Regina shiver from within.

  “I don’t think it’s simple. They are innocent in this matter. By all means, expose Ben. He deserves that, but they don’t deserve this.”

  “Brian.” He said his name in a sing-song voice. It reminded her of the way the killer or demon would toy with their prey in a horror film. “Look at Regina, imagine if I was to tie you to a chair and make you watch helplessly as I cut off her fingers one by one. Imagine the screaming. Then imagine if I were to then pull out a gun and shoot her in her chest and then her head. Killing her. How would you feel?”

  Brian’s face turned to stone and the all the blood rushed into it, turning him red. Regina started shaking as her mind conjured up images of that happening.

  “Answer me,” Aaron balked.

  Brian still didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to. Regina already knew how he would feel. She would know even if she wasn’t looking at him standing there before her.

  “Hypocrite,” Aaron hissed in that horrifying way again. “You would kill me, but because you love her so much you’d make me suffer first. You’d find the thing I love the most and take it. You’d find every way to make me suffer and feel the way you would, and even then it would never be enough. Wouldn’t you?”

  Brian pressed his lips together and his eyes clouded over. “Yes,” he replied and a look of defeat washed over him.

  “Good. Now of course your fucking little plot irritated the shit out of me. My hacking devices don’t work. But I should have seen that coming. And you may think you have one over me by getting Wade out of prison. But you haven’t. We’re in the height of the game, my friends. You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  His voice echoed throughout the room.

  “Wh
at are you going to do?” Regina found her voice from the cave in her chest it had escaped to.

  “Kill you,” he hissed. “All of you. Every last one, and like I said before. It won’t matter who you tell or what you do, you won’t be able to stop me.”

  Hot tears ran down her cheeks as his words seeped into her soul and stung.

  Aaron started laughing. “Go to her, Brian, she looks like she’s going to faint. She may hit her head on the counter if she does.”

  God!

  He could see them.

  How could he still see them? He wasn’t supposed to be able to.

  “How can you see us?” she cried.

  “Oh, I’m just outside.”

  In a flash, Brian dropped the phone and ran to the kitchen window and stared, looking about outside. Then he opened the back door and went through it, looking about them to see if he could see anyone.

  “There’s no one there,” he told her.

  She walked over to pick the phone up but Aaron had already hung up. She glanced through the window and held her hand at her chest, trying to keep her heart from leaping out.

  One of the houses, maybe he was in one of the neighboring houses. From where she stood she could see three possibilities. The roads curved in on itself to form a sort of circle. It allowed her to see the back gardens of the houses.

  He had to be in one of those. She looked over to Brian and he came to her, taking her into his arms before the tears started to fall.

  They called Detective Fray, who came immediately with a squad of police to investigate the houses. It turned out she was right. Aaron had gone into the house that mirrored them from the back, pretending to be a gas contractor. Their neighbor, Mrs. Donaldson, was in her nineties. She walked with a cane and was partially blind. She told the police that Aaron had said he told her there was a report of a leak on the main road and he was sent from the gas company to check all the houses. Mrs. Donaldson said she didn’t suspect anything because he checked everything out and went to one of her rooms to call the company.