Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
M itch wasn’t surprised when Lucas won all three of their matches. Mitch hadn’t played racquetball in years and Lucas was younger. It had been fun, though, and a great sweat. Better than he got from running, which surprised him.
“You’re a great player,” Lucas said.
Mitch snorted. “Not as good as you. Not that I expected to be. But it was fun all the same. Let’s do it again sometime.”
“Yeah, I’d love to.”
They exited the court and walked down the hall of the fitness center toward the men’s locker room.
“What about Saturday?” Mitch asked. “I could skip my run and do this for an hour in the morning instead.”
“I can’t this week. My brother’s coming in today and I’m going to be entertaining him. Although he might not mind if I’m gone in the morning.” Lucas went into the locker room, Mitch right behind him. “I’ll talk to him and see.”
“Sounds good,” Mitch said. The smell of shampoo and aftershave was strong. Steam drifted along the ceiling from the shower area. “Is he in town for long?”
“Not long enough, considering that we haven’t seen each other in about a year. He was in Orlando for a conference and now that it’s over, he’s driving here to hang out for a bit.”
“What kind of conference? What’s he do?” Mitch collected information about people the way some people collected old coins. He stored the knowledge in a mental database from which he built story characters. He never knew when one random piece might help shape a character into life.
“He’s a retired NYPD homicide detective.” Lucas grabbed a clean towel from the stack in the locker room. “Now, he’s a private investigator.”
Mitch grabbed a towel, too. “Huh. That is very interesting. I would love to meet him. Pick his brain a little.”
Lucas nodded. “He’d love to meet you, I’m sure. I know he watches your show. Maybe I’ll host a dinner. Just give me a few days to get things together.” He laughed. “I shouldn’t be adding things to my plate when I still have to edit all the footage from yesterday and turn it into a show.”
“I can’t say cooking shows are my thing, but that one, I’m looking forward to.” Mitch wiped as much sweat off as he could with the white and blue striped fitness center towel, then tossed it in the hamper. He’d shower at home where he could put on clean clothes.
Lucas got his racquet bag out of his locker and zipped his racquet into it. “I’ll be uploading the episode on Friday, so you won’t have too long to wait. As for my brother, I’ll see what works for him to meet you.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean to invite myself over. If you’re too busy—”
“No way.” Lucas shut his locker and smiled. “I would love to have you over. The whole crew, really. It would be nice to introduce my brother to my friends. Doesn’t hurt that you’re Mitchell Ripley, either, trust me. For years, my brothers have given me grief about my ‘little internet thing,’ as they like to call it. Be nice to show him I have a famous friend.”
Mitch laughed. “Works for me. Let me know what I can bring.”
“You mean what Joyce can make for you to bring?” Lucas wiggled his brows, obviously joking. “I’d really like her and Beryl to come, too. If that’s all right with you.”
They left the locker room and walked out to the parking lot together, their golf carts side by side.
“That’s fine with me. They’ll be very excited about that.”
Lucas put his racquet in the basket on the passenger seat. “Hey, the more the merrier, right? Good game today. That was great. I’ll text you with details about dinner. Just give me a day or two to get organized.”
“No problem. I look forward to it.”
They exchanged waves and went on their way. Mitch was going to be sore tomorrow; he could feel it. He’d used new muscles. Good thing he’d only gone for a short run this morning, in part to see how Bunny would do and in part because he hadn’t wanted to tire himself out before meeting Lucas.
Bunny had done great on the run and had kept up easily. Mitch felt certain she could have gone for longer, which was excellent, because maybe not tomorrow, but someday soon, they would.
As soon as he got home, he took a hot shower, longer than he ordinarily would have, but it felt good, and his body needed it after the workout with Lucas.
He dressed then went to find Kyle in his room, doing his final read-through on his book. Kyle had moved Ruthie’s Pack ’n Play in there and she was in it. Bunny was laying nearby, head up, watching Ruthie.
The little family scene made his heart happy. “Hey, sorry to interrupt. I have to run out. I shouldn’t be too long.”
“No problem. Beryl’s going to take Ruthie for her next feeding and said she’ll walk Bunny, if need be.”
“That’s nice of her.” They were going to miss Beryl when she went home. Joyce would, too, of course, but Beryl had really pitched in. With Kyle and Ruthie here, her help had made a difference. “See you in a bit.”
Kyle nodded and went back to the book.
Mitch waved at Ruthie, then went out to the kitchen. Joyce and Beryl were sitting together at the kitchen table, having a cup of tea and looking over some cookbooks. “Have to go out. Back soon.”
“Mitch,” Joyce said, lifting her head. “Do you have a moment? I was hoping I could talk to you.”
He shook his head. “Not right now. When I get back.” She probably wanted another day off to spend with Beryl. He didn’t mind that. It was only natural that Joyce would want to spend time with her sister while she was here.
At the front door, he sent Jack a quick text. On my way.
Then he left, cutting through the path between the houses but going to the guest house instead. He took the exterior steps, which brought him to the balcony that connected with the breezeway. If he kept going, he’d end up at the main house.
He was about to knock when Jack opened the door. “Hey, brother, good to see you.” Jack pulled him into a hug, clapping a hand on Mitch’s back.
“You, too. It’s been a while, huh?”
Jack stepped back, nodding. “Yeah, it has. Come on in. Thanks for coming. I’m grateful. I asked Harper to join us. You two are the only ones who know what’s going on, so I thought it would be good to have you both here.”
“Of course.” Through the windows, he saw her leaving the house. Just the sight of her in those cut-off denim shorts made him want to smile, but he contained himself. He was here for Jack, not himself.
Once Harper came in, they all sat. Jack took the big chair, Harper and Mitch found seats on the couch.
Jack took a deep breath, laced his fingers together and looked at Mitch. “Harper told you what’s going on?”
Mitch nodded. “She did. I’m really sorry you’re going through this.”
“Thanks. It’s been a real wake-up call. About all kinds of things. This past year hasn’t been great for me, man. It all started with losing my dad. That was…so hard.”
Mitch swallowed. “I can understand that.”
“Yeah, no doubt, you can.” Jack’s eyes held a pain that Mitch recognized. “It’s been tough. There have been some good days, some okay days, but a lot of bad ones. You know, right?”
Mitch just nodded. He knew all too well.
Jack went on. “Some days I feel like…like what was the point?” He shook his head and looked away. “I thought going to Comic-Con and being around people would help me, you know? Like maybe it was what I needed. Something else to focus on. But all it did was make me feel more alone. I drank too much that night, but that was nothing new. I’d been drinking too much most nights.”
Mitch had had a few of those nights, too.
Jack sighed and sat back. “Haven’t touched a drop since that night.”
“Good for you,” Harper said softly.
“But now I have this woman to deal with. Monica.” Jack frowned.
Mitch leaned forward. “Are you sure you slept with her?”
“No, I’m not. She said we did. That I forced her.” Jack stared at them, eyes pleading. “I’m not that kind of guy. I swear it.”
Harper nodded. “I know you’re not.”
Mitch’s writer brain churned away in the background, running through all kinds of different scenarios. “And so far, she’s contacted you how?”
“Once in person. Outside my house.” Jack shrugged. “It’s not hard to find out where I live. Or any celebrity, for that matter. But mostly by phone. She texted me the pictures she has. It’s me in her bed and the two of us together.”
“ Together together?” Mitch needed to know.
“Nothing that graphic,” Jack said. “Me passed out. Her next to me.”
“Can I see that one?” Mitch asked.
Jack pulled his phone out, tapped the screen a few times, then turned it around.
The photo showed an unconscious Jack Marsh in a bed with the woman, Monica, lying next to him. Smiling for the camera. Looking very much like a hunter with her kill.
Mitch’s eyes narrowed. “Who smiles for a photo after they’ve been forced into having sex?” He glanced at Harper. “Seem odd to you?”
“It does.” She nodded. “And if she was really traumatized, as she claims, why didn’t she call the police? Why take pictures, then contact you for money? Seems pretty scammy to me.”
“Maybe,” Jack huffed out. “But it’s a scam that’s going to work. I don’t see any other way to get out of it except to pay her, man.”
“You can’t do that,” Mitch said. “She’ll be after you again and again for more money each time. You need to end this. I bet you’re not the first guy she’s done this to. You might be the biggest name, however. I’m sure she thinks she’s found her golden goose.”
“Okay, so what do I do?”
Mitch spread his hands out. “You were going to spend some money on this one way or the other. I suggest you hire a private investigator to do some digging on this woman and see what he can find out.”
“I don’t know,” Jack said. “I’m not against that but I’d need one I can trust. One who knows what he’s doing. How do I find a guy like that today? Because she’s only giving me a couple of days to cough up the dough.”
“As it happens,” Mitch said. “There’s a private investigator coming here to Hideaway Bay. He’s the brother of a friend of ours. I feel pretty strongly that he’d be trustworthy.”
“Whose brother?” Harper asked.
Mitch smiled. “Lucas Prime.”