by Terri Marie
Tyler tried to maintain hope while following the guard back to his cell. Monday morning couldn't come fast enough. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat, and his mind replayed the entire scene with Roger Murphy, over and over again.
The weekend was nothing but a blur. Thankfully, his cell was on the same side as the holding tank, so he couldn't be seen by other prisoners. From what Vinnie told him, the public wasn't too happy with the rich guy who'd randomly punched a homeless man. The jail employees, however, treated him like he'd stolen an infant.
The guards didn't have to wake Tyler up for court on Monday. He hadn't slept. When they opened the door to the pod, he was sitting on a hard stool; the container of dry cereal and carton of warm milk, was pushed away unopened. He was on his feet quickly. It took everything he had not to body slam this correction's officer who'd been extra mean to him, but Tyler just smiled and said 'thank you' instead.
After the hearing, Vincent wrote out the check, and then walked behind his fuming brother to the car.
"Go rest and get cleaned up, Ty. I put in a request for a subpoena, so when we do find him, he can be served. In the meantime, I'm going back to the streets."
"Thanks, Vin. I'm sorry I'm not very talkative right now." Tyler climbed out of the SUV and unlocked the front door to his house. Hopefully the solitude would improve his mood
Chapter 5
Tyler wrapped a towel around his waist and dug his cell phone out of the pocket of his crumpled suit pants, which were wadded up on the floor. All of Denise's bath products, perfumes, clothes…he couldn't stand to look at, or smell, any of it a second longer. Gone meant gone, and having bits and pieces of her under his roof, was making him none too happy. He dialed up his assistant, Emma.
"Em, I need you to do me a favor. It's out of the ordinary but I'll pay you extra." Tyler tried to keep the desperation out of his voice.
"Sure, what can I do for you?" Emma quickly asked.
"Come to my house and remove everything in here that belongs to a female. Gather it up, so it can be sent to storage. Vincent can help you with getting the boxes picked up. I need it done as soon as you can get to it."
"Denise's things?" She didn't hesitate to ask.
"Emma, I need you to keep this between us. Yes, the things belong to Denise. Box it up and write her name on them. I'll be putting jewelry and other things she's given me on the table. Pack those as well." The reminders of Denise everywhere he turned, were just pissing him off. Going into the top drawer of his dresser, he removed a locket, which belonged to his mother, and slipped it into his pocket. Tyler didn't want to risk Emma packing it by mistake.
"Oh I'll gladly do that for you, Sir. Hopefully she'll show up and I can—" Not only was Emma great at her job, but she was also very protective. Tyler had helped her through many difficult situations in her life, and there was nothing she wouldn't do if he asked. The image of Denise with the baseball bat was still fresh in her mind and it filled her with worry.
"Em, you don't want to get involved in this. She's crazy. Let me know when Denise has been purged from my home. I won't be back until then." Tyler knew she meant the threat. Emma Ward had started at the company as a secretary, and within a year she'd been hired as Tyler's assistant, and now she knew him almost as well as his brothers did.
"Will do!" agreed Emma.
Despite the fact that everything was blowing up around him, Tyler didn't regret ending the five year relationship. It took him six months too long to come to the final decision he more than wanted to make, but the right wording and timing was necessary to avoid backlash. Obviously he'd failed.
After hanging up with Emma, he dialed Vincent and asked him to arrange a family meeting. He was hoping to resolve this nightmare on his own, but he was up against a clock and time was running out. If anyone could move mountains to find this kid, it was his brothers.
Tyler quickly dressed in jeans, a sweatshirt and tennis shoes, in case he had to chase the kid, and then headed toward the office. As he drove his Mercedes rental car, Tyler passed the spot where he had hit the man, and looked carefully for a camera that could have captured the moment. He knew it was something Vinnie would have already checked, but a second set of eyes never hurt. There were no cameras, and no sign of the witness. He was working hard to resist all temptation to drive to the hospital and write out a fat check for the crook, to make him drop the bogus charges. He continued inside the gates instead, and went up to his office on the twelfth floor.
Luckily, Tyler had already destroyed all the cute, but deceptive letters, emails, and texts Denise had written to him over the years, but her presence was still there. Until he got all of this legal mess cleared up, she'd still be a part of his life. Had he not been so angry, to the point of needing to walk it off, the attempted mugging wouldn't have happened. Prison! How the hell would I survive being locked up for years over a crime I didn't commit? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
There was no hope of him finding a reprieve amongst his paperwork in the office, because he couldn't concentrate. He needed to get away, but part of the bond agreement required him to surrender his passport, and agree not to leave the state. He picked up the phone and called his brother Vincent, hoping for some good news.
"I still can't find him, Ty. I have a copy of the police report and the list of charges against you, and--"
"The list…" Tyler laughed sarcastically.
"The prosecutor is going for a hate crime and felony assault. Roger Murphy said you pulled out a knife and threatened to kill him. They have your pocket knife, which the bastard identified as the one you threatened him with."
"I never pulled out my small pocket knife! So, that's why they didn't give it back to me." This is insane, thought Tyler.
"The man claims he didn't mention the knife before, because he feared you'd kill him. Look, Ty, I'm sorry you have to go through all this." Vincent slammed his car door.
"The bastard saw the knife when the cops searched my pockets in front of him. I use it to clean my nails for God sakes! I can't believe this is happening." Tyler sat his phone down and rubbed his face. He could hear his brother talking, but listening to these lies was killing him. He knew Vincent would be sick to his stomach over this injustice towards him, but providing comfort to his brother, wasn't one of Tyler's abilities right now.
Slowly he picked the phone back up.
"Are you there, Tyler?" Vincent raised his voice.
"Did you set the meeting up, Vinnie?"
"Yeah we'll all be in your office at eight."
"Can't we just meet at my house?" Tyler needed to go home, crack open a beer and clear his head.
"I really don't think you should be staying there in that house, but yeah, I can make it happen. See you then, bro. If you need me, give a holler, okay?" Vincent wanted to go to the hospital and give Roger Murphy a reason to complain. Tyler had always looked out for him and practically raised him. Now it was his brother's turn to be looked after, and he wasn't about to fail him. The restraining order was in place against his brother's insane ex-girlfriend, security was increased at the company, and three private investigators were searching for this kid. Threatening phone calls and letters were pouring in to Montclair Pharmaceuticals due to this incident with the gold digger, Murphy. Vincent tried to get Tyler to accept an off-duty police officer to provide protection, but the last person his brother was willing to trust right now was a cop.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Tyler tried hard to relax and shut his mind off so he could make it until the end of the work day, but his eyes kept drifting towards the window. Before he knew it, he was looking down on the street, scanning the area for the witness who could ensure his freedom. There was no way in hell he was going to be able to focus on anything else. Out the door he went.
Tyler walked block after block, searching for the homeless boy without luck. He talked to everyone who would slow down long enough to hear what he had to say. A couple people knew who he was referring
to, but hadn't seen him in several days. Tyler wished he had a photograph to flash on the news, or around town, but he had nothing. The truth was, a teen on the run could easily blend in.
Slowly he crossed the street to Montclair Park. Tyler and his brothers had donated the money to turn the lot across the street, into a park to honor their father and mother. He walked over to their bronzed faces on a large dedication plaque and wished he had them here to talk to. Sebastian and Natalie's deaths were such a mystery; it was still painful to think about. Tyler had been responsible for his siblings since he was eighteen. He reached in his pocket and held his mother's locket, but he couldn't bring himself to open it again. The first time he did, which was the last time, had shaken him to the core. He'd never even shared with his brothers what was inside.
Tyler walked over to one of the outbuildings and put his key in the lock. It was used as a kitchen for the Montclair events which were held many times a year. The light poured in through the open door, making the stainless steel glisten. Turning on the sink, he ran his fingers underneath the cool stream. He'd have to get a crew out here to scrub the outbuildings soon, as it was almost time for the events to begin. As soon as he reached up and shut off the water, an idea hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Oh my God!" Tyler took off in a sprint to his car. For the first time since this mess started, he saw some hope.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
He only had to wait at his house for a short time before his brothers arrived. He was grateful that, not only were Denise's belongings gone from the drawers and shelves, but so were the boxes. He hadn't heard that Emma had been arrested for knocking the snot out of his psycho ex-girlfriend, so he'd have to make sure he paid her well.
Jacob arrived first, carrying a dark brown leather briefcase. "You don't look so hot, Ty. Did you get any sleep last night?"
Tyler gave him a quick hug and patted his back. "Things have definitely been better, but no, I'm not sleeping much these days. Now that her things are out of here, I think I'll be able to relax a little more. Of course, being out of jail has its perks too."
"I'm sorry you had to go through all that crap," began Jacob. "I never thought I'd ever see you involved such a mess. Sean on the other hand…"
Sean came in followed by Vincent, who went directly to the fridge and opened a beer, grinning at Jacob.
"Sean, man, you drive like a maniac. You almost gave me heart failure," complained Vincent jokingly.
Sean laughed and then turned his attention to Tyler.
"How you holding up? We're gonna find this kid, you know that right?"
"Yeah," replied Tyler as he squeezed Sean's shoulder.
The men all went to the large dining room table and sat down. Jacob reached into his briefcase and pulled out a city map. Tyler began to smile while watching his brother's assign and discuss search areas.
"Here you are, in this whirlwind of crap," said Jacob, "and you're smirking like a school boy. What's up?"
"Well, we can't seem to spot our young witness," explained Tyler, "so we're going to have to get him to come to us."
Vincent shook his head. "This better be good, Ty, because what you're asking for is nothing short of a miracle."
Tyler's smile broadened. "Here's the plan. Do you know how every year we hold the big barbeque for the homeless, to maintain our family tradition? We're going to have one next week."
"Tyler," began Sean, "We normally hold those over Labor Day weekend. Do you really think we can get it advertised and arranged in a week? We're talking supplies, catering…"
"Heck, I'm willing to have one every weekend, until we get the kid to come out of hiding," explained Tyler. "I don't have the time to sit around waiting for him to surface. I really think this is our best shot. We'll put it on the radio, hand out flyers, you name it."
"If that's what you want to do, I'm in," said Sean. "It's going to be pretty difficult to throw it together and run the company but who needs sleep?!" He reached over and shook Tyler's hand.
"I can get Emma to help out with a lot of this. She's amazing," offered Tyler.
"She hates me," said Jacob with a look of misery. "Can't we get someone else to organize it?"
"She only hates you because you hit on her. I told you not to do that," laughed Tyler. Emma was a beautiful, slender redhead, with green eyes. No matter how attractive she was, Tyler adored her like a sister. It didn't take his brother Jacob long to start flirting though. Finally, Emma had agreed to go out with him. Tyler didn't want to bring up the outcome of their one date.
As the men threw out ideas of what would have to be done, Jacob made a list. It didn't take them long to realize they didn't quite know what they were doing. Emma was the one who orchestrated every event, and they'd have to bring her in on it as soon as possible.
After everyone left, Tyler carefully approached the master bedroom, bracing himself for reminders of Denise. Emma must have called the housekeeper; his room was clean and so were the sheets. He was beyond grateful when he crawled into bed. Tyler's body was tired and his mind was mush. It didn't take him long to fall into a deep sleep, something he was very much in need of.
The phone startled Tyler awake at eight the next morning. He quickly answered it.
"Sir, did you still want to meet this morning?" Emma asked quietly.
"Emma, I'm sorry. Let me hop in the shower and I'll be right in." Tyler felt horrible. While he met with her every morning to talk about the upcoming plans for the day, this meeting was especially important. He hadn't yet told her about the barbeque and was hoping she wouldn't kill him. Even though she was the most resourceful woman he'd ever met, this was asking a lot. He quickly jumped in the shower and, after a good night's sleep, he felt energized; he was in a much better mood.
Tyler scanned the streets on his way to the office. There was no evidence of the kid anywhere. He even kept his windows rolled down in case he could hear the strumming of a guitar. Nothing. He tried hard not to let his frustration mount.
As Tyler pulled into the parking structure, Vincent pulled in right behind him. He normally loved seeing his brother, but because of the legal stuff he was swimming in, he saw the attorney side of him and his stomach automatically tightened.
"I take it Prince Charming slept for once?" laughed Vincent.
"Vinnie, why do I sense bad news underneath your concern for my sleeping habits?" Tyler sat his briefcase on the ground.
"Yeah, I wish I was bringing good news. The prosecutor wants to offer you a deal. They'll drop the hate crime if you plead guilty to the felony—"
"No! I'm not pleading guilty to anything! I did nothing wrong. Seriously, if I plead guilty, I'll end up in prison and paying out tons of money to this guy. I don't even want to hear it, Vinnie…" Tyler picked up his briefcase and began walking toward the elevators. He wasn't angry at his brother, but he didn't really want to yell and cause a scene. After all, Denise had provided plenty of entertainment for the staff. He didn't need to add to it. He heard Vincent's footsteps quicken behind him.
"Ty, I'm on your side, okay? As your attorney I had to bring the deal to you and give you my advice. I don't think you should do it either. We'll find this kid. Stop!"
Tyler stopped and turned to face his brother.
"We'll find him. Hear me?" reassured Vincent.
"Yeah, we will. I'm sorry, Vinnie, I'm not going to be myself until this is over with."
"I have to get back to the prosecutor's office, but I need you to sign this." Vincent held out a form and Tyler signed it. As he said goodbye to his brother, he wondered how unrealistic they were being, in thinking they were actually going to find a needle in a haystack.
As he walked into his office, Emma followed behind him with a hot cup of coffee. He wished he could clone her. They certainly broke the mold when they made this woman.
"Thank you, Em. Again, I'm really sorry about being late. We have some work for you to do. I'm taking you off all projects this week, and I'll delegate your work to someo
ne else. I need you to focus on something...different."
"Sure, whatever you need." Emma sat down and began to write.
"We're doing the big barbeque this weekend." Tyler knitted his brow, trying to see whether or not she was going to combust.
"Those are on Labor Day weekend. You're talking about the one we do for homeless? The benefit to raise awareness?"
"Yeah, we'll do one then too, but we need to hold it this weekend as well."
"Um…"
"We have to find the witness. He's definitely in hiding, so maybe we can get him to surface by luring him with food. Last year we had, like, a couple hundred or more homeless, and they even came from different cities. It's our best shot, Emma. Please, I need you to work your magic."
"I'm waiting for the punch line. You realize you're giving me five days, Tyler." Emma cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows.
"Look, I know it sounds crazy. Well okay, it is crazy, but you're the brain-child behind these things. Can you pull it off? If all you have to do is organize this barbeque, can you do it? Some of the things, you can cut out, like getting donations, etc. Hell, I'll front the whole thing. Burgers, hotdogs, keep it simple. We'll have it at the park. I realize my motives aren't pure this time, but you know I've always been a big advocate for helping the homeless. Unfortunately, I also need my freedom protected." Tyler's mood plummeted.
Emma stared at his sad-looking face. "You do so many great things for the underprivileged in the area, even volunteering to help other organizations run events of their own. I'll do my part to help in any way I can."
