by L. Wilder
“That’s not important. What’s important is the fact that I found her.” He walked over to a counter and picked up a folder and a flash drive. As he offered it to me, he said, “We do have some issues that need to be addressed.”
“What kind of issues?”
“I’ve taken a few x-rays and dental molds of our Jane Doe, and there are some notable differences in their dental and medical records.” Billy motioned his hand over to the items he’d just given me. “Our Jane Doe has a few cavities that Parker doesn’t, along with a broken wrist from several years back. I’ll need you to do what you must to swap Parker’s old records with these. I also have some changes that need to be made to her medical records. They’re all on the flash drive, so you shouldn’t have any issue uploading them.”
“You got it.”
After slipping the flash drive into my pocket, I flipped through the various x-rays and medical reports he’d put in the folder, and they all looked legit. I would’ve never guessed they’d been forged. After I’d gone through them all, I glanced back over to the Jane Doe on the gurney. While she favored Parker, she wasn’t her exact twin. Anyone who knew her would be able to verify that this chick wasn’t genuinely Parker. “So, I exchange all the medical records, and then what?”
“I’ll set the stage. Simple as that.”
I looked down at the girl’s face. “I don’t know, man. This Jane Doe chick looks a lot like Parker, but it won’t take a genius to see that it isn’t really her.”
“That’s not something to be concerned about. Just do what I’ve asked you, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“So, you really think this is gonna work?”
“I don’t think it. I know it.”
“Okay then, I’ll just need to get my laptop and upload these now.”
“There’s one more thing before you go.” Billy had a concerned expression on his face as he continued, “Parker needs to prepare her suicide note or video. Whichever she decides... She just has to make it believable.”
“She will.”
“I certainly hope so. Otherwise, we’re doing all this for nothing.”
“Understood.”
“She might want to change her look a bit.” He walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a dark-colored wig. “Have her wear this, and I’d suggest using a filter during the recording. Maybe one that changes her eye color or something.”
“Is that really necessary?”
“There’s always a chance the video could end up on the news.”
“Damn, I hadn’t thought of that.”
“The filter will make it a little harder to recognize her.” He handed me a burner phone and a large yellow envelope with the district attorney’s address written on the front. “I also put a latex glove inside the envelope. Make sure her fingerprints are the only ones on the phone when you put it inside. Give it back to me when you’re done, and I’ll have it mailed when it’s time.”
“You got it.”
When I got up to the room, Parker was still in bed asleep. She looked so gorgeous, so peaceful, lying there, and the thought of something happening to her had me feeling like the weight of the world was crumbling down around me. The club had worked with Billy for years. I knew he was incredible at his job and that I could trust him, but I was still concerned. It was Parker’s life on the line, so I had to make sure his plan went off without a hitch. That thought had me grabbing my laptop out of my bag. I was trying to be careful not to wake Parker, but when I turned back around, she was sitting up in the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Hey, what are you doing over there?”
“I’m just getting my laptop.” I held it up to show her. “Got some stuff I need to do for Billy.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“Just uploading some records.” I walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. “There’s something you need to do for him too.”
“Oh?”
The blood drained from her face as I told her, “You need to make up a suicide note... or video. Whichever you think you can handle.”
“I’m not sure I can handle either.” Parker drew her legs up to her chest and propped her chin on her knees. “I don’t even know what I’d say.”
“Just cover the basics.”
“So, what? I’ve been on the run for over a year, and I just can’t take it anymore?”
“That’s for you to decide.” I placed my hand on hers. “It’s gotta come from the heart. It’s the only way people will believe it’s legit.”
“Okay… I’ll, uh, try.”
“You’ll do fine.” Then I handed her the wig. “Billy suggested wearing this and using a filter when you record.”
She picked it up and studied it for a moment. “Did he have any other suggestions?”
“Just do the best you can. Whatever you come up with will be fine as long as it’s believable.” After wiping it down, I gave her the burner phone Billy had given me. “Just let me know when you’re done.”
“Okay.” When I stood, she asked, “Is there a particular place I should go to do this?”
“Find a quiet corner... somewhere no one will recognize.”
“Okay.”
I leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead, then left her to collect her thoughts. She was weighing on my mind as I carried my laptop into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Eager to get this shit done so I could get back to Parker, I reached in my pocket and pulled out the flash drive Billy had given me. I immediately got started on uploading information to all the various locations. Sadly, it didn’t take long to hack into her small-town dentist’s office. Their security was total shit, and her doctor’s office wasn’t much better. I had everything swapped out in less than an hour. Once I was sure I had everything taken care of, I headed up to the bedroom to check on Parker. When I first walked in, I didn’t see her, so I checked the bathroom. There was no sign of her there, so I figured she’d gone outside. I was wrong.
As soon as I stepped back into the bedroom, I spotted her in the corner, sitting on the floor with tears streaming down her face. She lifted the phone as she announced, “I did it.”
I walked over and knelt down beside her, pulling her into my arms. “You okay?”
“No, but I will be.” She slipped the phone in the envelope as she said, “Please, just tell me I don’t have to do it again.”
“I’ll check to be certain, but I’m sure it’s fine. Right now, all I’m concerned about is you.”
“I’m fine,” she tried to reassure me. “I just want to take a shower and try to put all of this behind me.”
“Okay.” I stood, then reached down and helped Parker to her feet. “I’ll get this to Billy. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Could you hold me? Just for a minute?”
As I wrapped my arms around her, I whispered, “Baby, I’ll hold you for as long as you want.”
She laid her head on my chest as I pulled her close. I didn’t say anything but just stood there and held her. Parker didn’t cry, nor did she speak. She clung to me like her life depended on it. I’d never felt so close to her. I didn’t want the moment to end, but when she pulled away, I didn’t have a choice in the matter. Parker placed the palms of her hands on my chest as she looked up at me and said, “Thank you, Jared. I needed that.”
Without saying anything more, she walked over to the dresser and grabbed some clean clothes, then disappeared into the bathroom. Knowing she needed some time to herself, I took the envelope out to the front porch and sat down on the front step. I put on the latex glove Billy had included in the bag, and a sense of dread washed over me as I pulled the phone out and looked down at the screen. I knew I wasn’t going to like what I was about to see on Parker’s video, so I inhaled a deep breath and tried to prepare myself. After several moments, I finally forced myself to pull up the video.
My chest tightened the second I saw Parker’s beautiful face appear on the screen. She was wearing the wig Billy had given her and wa
s using a filter that added freckles to the bridge of her nose, but neither hid the look of turmoil that was written all over her face. I did my best to brace myself as I hit Play and listened to her say “Hello, I am Parker Weston, the daughter of Mark and Laura Weston. I lived with them at 115 Dolman Drive, Sausalito, California, until the day Lorenzo Rossi murdered my family.” My chest tightened as I watched the tears start to pool in Parker’s eyes. I knew this shit was going to be hard on her. I just had no idea how much.
“I was there that night...hiding in the closet. I heard the gunshots when Rossi killed my sister. I saw him with the gun in his hand, and I testified to that fact during his trial. I was cross-examined, and my testimony was recorded. Mr. Rossi is a member of a notorious crime family, and I was the key witness in his case, so I was put into witness protection. I was placed with Peter and Sally Brant. They were wonderful to me. They helped me cope with the loss of my family. I’d been with them for almost a year when Rossi’s men came after me.”
Parker started rocking back and forth, crying heartbreaking tears as she continued filming herself. “Rossi had the Brants killed, and if Mr. Brant hadn’t helped me get away, he would’ve killed me too. I’ve been on the run for almost a year. I know it’s only a matter of time before they find me again, and I’m just...”
She covered her face with her hand and took several deep breaths, trying to collect herself. It gutted me to see her so upset. It made me want to hunt down Rossi and kill him with my bare hands. That feeling only grew more intense as she went on, “I’m just so tired. I don’t have it in me anymore. I’m tired of being alone. I miss my family. I want to be with them, so I’m done running. I’m done hiding. By the time you see this message, I’ll be gone. I will have taken my life and returned to the people I’ve cared about the most. Before I go through with this, I have one request: Don’t let our lives be lost in vain. Keep Lorenzo Rossi behind bars where he belongs.”
Parker was sobbing uncontrollably when recording stopped, making me feel even worse for her. I took the phone and walked back inside. After placing it in the envelope, I removed my latex glove and started down to the basement. I stopped when Billy appeared in the kitchen. “We’re all set on our end.”
“Good.” He took the envelope and peeked inside. “How’d she do?”
“It was tough for her, but it’s definitely believable.”
“That’s good to hear.” He slipped it under his arm. “It’s time to put all this into action.”
“And what exactly are we going to do?”
“We aren’t going to do anything,” he answered flatly. “You have your brothers. I have my team, and we work alone.”
“Understood.”
“Good.” Before making his way back to the basement, Billy said, “We will be gone for the night. I’ll need you both to remain here until I get back.”
“We can do that.”
“No one is expected to come around, so make yourselves at home.”
“We will. Thanks, Billy.”
He was walking down the basement steps when he announced, “I’ll be in touch.”
Once he was gone, I opened the fridge and looked for something to fix for breakfast. I figured after last night and her rough morning, a bite to eat would do Parker good. I grabbed the bacon and eggs, then turned on the stove and got busy cooking. I’d just started frying the bacon when she walked into the kitchen wearing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. Even though her eyes were still puffy from crying, Parker looked beautiful as she stepped over to me. “Wow, something smells good in here.”
“Thought I’d make us some breakfast.”
“Good, I’m starving.” She ran her fingers through her long, damp hair. “Anything I can do to help?”
“You could see if Billy has any biscuits.”
“Sure thing.” Parker sauntered over to the fridge, and as she opened the door, she asked, “Is he going to be eating with us?”
“No. He’s, uh... not gonna be around today and tonight.”
“Oh?” She pulled out the biscuits and started placing them on a pan. “So, he’s gone? He’s all set to do whatever it is he’s planning on doing?”
“Yeah.” I turned to face her, and the anguished expression on her face hit me right in the gut. “It’s going to be okay, Parker. He’s gonna take care of this.”
“Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t be standing here if I wasn’t.” I stepped over to her and slipped my hands around her waist, pulling her closer. “I know you’re worried, but this will all be over soon.”
“And then what?” She looked up at me with doe eyes as she asked, “Are you going to send me on my way?”
“Oh, no, baby. There’s no way that’s gonna happen.” I lowered my mouth to her shoulder, trailing kisses along the curve of her neck. “Now, that I’ve got you, there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go.”
Parker
“You’re not letting me go, huh?” I smiled as I slipped my arms around his neck. “I kind of like the sound of that.”
“That’s good, because I meant it.” His eyes were filled with emotion when he added, “I think we’ve found a good thing here, and I plan to hold on to it.”
“I think we have a good thing too.” Jared said exactly what I’d been thinking since the night he showed up at my apartment. We shared an unlikely connection—first, it was driven by lust, but it quickly turned into something more. There was no denying it, I was falling for Jared, and falling hard. I eased up on my tiptoes as I pressed my lips to his in a soft, tender kiss filled with promise. It didn’t take long for things to become heated. We were both at the brink of losing control when the smell of something burning forced me to break free from our embrace. “The bacon.”
“Shit.” Jared rushed over to the stove and pulled it off the burner. “It’s a little charred around the edges, but I think it’s salvageable.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Jared didn’t look so sure as he took the bacon out of the skillet and placed it on a paper towel to drain. I placed the biscuits in the oven, then threw together a fruit salad while he cooked some eggs. Once everything was ready, we carried it over to the kitchen table and sat down. I was starving, so I wasted no time digging in. I’d only taken a few bites when Jared asked, “Feeling better?”
“Much.” I smiled. “Thanks to you.”
“Just doing what I can.”
“Well, it’s very much appreciated.” I took a bite of the very crispy bacon, then asked, “Do you have any idea how Billy is going to make it look like I committed suicide?”
“I might have a few thoughts on the matter, but nothing concrete.” Jared swallowed a mouthful of food before adding, “Billy’s the one handling all the details.”
“Do you still feel confident that he’ll be able to pull this off?”
“I do.” He reached over and placed his hand on mine. “You’ve had a tough morning. Let’s take a break from all this for a while.”
“How do you suppose we do that?”
“We could go for a ride or a walk,” he said before finishing off his eggs. “Maybe try a little fishing.”
“You, fishing? Seriously?”
“What?” he gasped dramatically. “You think I can’t fish?”
“I don’t know.” I leaned to the side and let my eyes skirt over his cut, then slowly down to his rugged jeans and biker boots. “You don’t really seem like the type.”
“The type? Are you kidding me?” he scoffed, sounding offended. “I’m definitely the type. I’ve been fishing since I was a kid, and just so you know, fish love me. They practically jump on my line.”
“Is that right?”
“Yep.” He took the last bite of his biscuit and said, “I could show you, but I should warn ya. A skill like mine can be considered a very desirable trait. I don’t know if you’ll be able to handle it.”
“I hate to break it to ya, but I’ve never found anything about fishing desirable.”
“Until now.” He gave me a wink, then stood and carried his empty plate and glass over to the sink. “I’m going out to the shed to see if I can find some fishing gear.”
“Wait... You’re serious about this?”
“Absolutely.”
Jared disappeared out of the house, leaving me to wonder what the hell I’d just gotten myself into. I got up and took my plate over to the sink, quickly rinsing it along with all the other dirty dishes before loading up the dishwasher. After wiping down the counters, I ran into the bedroom and changed into something more comfortable, then headed outside to find Jared. He was walking out of Billy’s shed with an oversized tackle box and two fishing poles. I couldn’t help but giggle, watching this hunk of a man smile like a kid at Christmas as he made his way down to the dock and started setting things up. By the time I reached him, he had new fishing line on both of the poles. He motioned his hand over to the tackle box, then said, “You need to pick a lure.”
“A lure?”
“Yeah.” Jared held up an orange spinner as he announced, “I’m going to use this beauty right here.”
“All I need is a hook and a bobber.”
“Hate to break it to ya, babe, but you’re gonna need more than just a hook to catch a fish.”
“I’m aware.” As I turned away from the pier, I shouted, “Just get me a hook, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Hey! Where ya going?”
Without answering, I rushed back up to the house and into the kitchen. I opened the fridge and, after a bit of digging, finally found what I was looking for. I grabbed the package and ran back out to the dock. Keeping it hidden from Jared, I took the fishing pole he’d readied for me and eased over to the other side of the small pier. I watched as Jared cast his line and slowly reeled it back in. When he pulled the hook out of the water without a fish, I had to fight the urge to snicker. He didn’t bother looking in my direction; he knew I was smiling.
After I’d prepared my hook, I cast my line out into the water and waited patiently for my bobber to move. Jared reeled in his line, and yet again, still no fish. He was about to cast again when my bobber took a nosedive. I reeled in my catch and took it off the hook, holding it proudly in the air for Jared to see. He glanced over at my small crappie for just a moment, then huffed as he cast out his line again. Since it was too small to eat, I tossed the little guy back into the water and then prepared my hook. I cast it once more, and it had barely hit the water when my bobber went under again. I waited a moment, making sure I actually had a catch. As soon as it went under a second time, I started reeling in my line. Jared turned his head and stared at me with his mouth wide open.
