Chapter 35 Elijah
Elijah
“It’s so good to see you.” Gwen’s arms hug me tightly, and I melt instantly. I forgot how much I missed seeing her.
Having been in a relationship with my dad, it always feels like I’m closer to him when I’m around her.
“I’ve missed you too.” I mutter, taking in a big breath.
“Come on in.” She offers me a soft, shy smile before waving me into her bungalow. “I know you said you couldn’t stay for long, but can I make you a coffee? Tea?” She asks, walking into her living room.
After my dad passed, we told Gwen she should stay and live with us. Wanting to give us some space, she declined. But thankfully, her bungalow is just a short distance from our place.
“No, it’s okay.” I smile, kicking off my boots.
I walk into her living room, admiring how cozy it is in here.
She’s always been a fan of bright oranges and yellows, and her house gives off that vibe.
I flop on her brown leather couch and grab one of her yellow throw pillows to hold.
This won’t be an easy conversation and I need all the comfort I can get.
“Okay.” She smiles, walking over to me and sitting down beside me. “What’s up?”
I stare down at my hands in my lap as I conjure up all the details in my mind. “I’ve come to talk…about Tobias.”
Right away, I see her smile fade, as her eyebrow creases. It’s as if she knows what I’m about to say.
“You told me you were worried…and I didn’t believe you at the time.” I look down. “I believe you now. I’m sorry that I didn’t before. I think…” I swallow thickly, the words feeling like razor blades in my throat. “I think I was in denial about him struggling. I think something’s really wrong.”
She nods slowly. “I think Tobias struggles a lot with the thoughts in his head. And with everything that’s going on right now…it puts him in a dangerous place.”
I cringe, thinking about how selfish I’ve been.
I bury my head in my hands, stomach twisting at all the facts coming together.
“He hasn’t been sleeping. Eating. He’s even been drinking more which is so unlike him.
One or two, maybe. But…nothing like he’s been doing.
” I pull at my hair. “He’s okay when I’m around but… I can’t be around twenty-four seven.”
She inches closer, her palm moving in slow, steady circles over my back. “He’s not alone. Neither are you. You boys forget you have a strong support system. For instance, I can pop in more often.”
I shake my head. “It’s more than that. I think…
things won’t get better until Derrick is behind bars.
” My eyes sting as I sit up to look at her straight on.
“Which is what I wanted to talk to you about.” I take a deep breath in, readying myself for whatever Gwen has to tell me.
I know, whatever the case may be, I have to believe everything will work itself out.
“Derrick has been back in contact with Tobias…and I think he’s in real trouble. Until he’s put away, Tobias is fighting against a ghost.”
Gwen stills, her hands shaking in her lap. “He’s…been in contact with him? Do the cops know that?”
I shift in my seat. “That’s why I’m here. I need your help. Well, Tobias and I both do. You’re a paralegal so you can help give me advice, right?”
Gwen nods her head. “I can’t represent anyone, but yes, you can talk to me and I can help however I can.”
My shoulders drop. “Okay, that’s fine.”
I take some time slowly explaining everything Tobias told me about his involvement with Derrick, repeating everything he told me. Thankfully, I had his permission to do so, or else I’d feel horrible spilling his secrets.
“Oh my God.” She gasps, throwing her hand over her heart. “Poor Tobias. This is so horrible. We need to be with him.” She goes to jump up.
I grab her hand, pulling her back down. “Wait. This makes him an accomplice or something, right? Can’t he get in trouble for this?
” Panic coursing through me as images of Tobias behind bars flash through my mind.
I’ll do whatever I can to keep him safe, even if that means keeping this a secret forever.
Gwen nods her head and I can see her bouncing through thoughts in her head. “Technically, he did aid a fugitive evade capture which is pretty serious.”
I gasp, pushing my fingers through my hair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“But,” she grabs my hands, pulling them out and giving them a big squeeze.
“Derrick is violent and if he’s threatening Tobias with a gun, he’s a victim of coercion.
” She shakes her head. “Of course, it’s different in some areas, but there’s a good chance that the cops will be more concerned about catching Derrick than Tobias’s involvement. ”
I suck in a shaky breath. I’m not sure if I feel any better.
“Elijah…all that information you told me about the motel? The car he’s driving? All of it could help the cops find out where he is. It could really help.”
I look at her, feeling the weight of tears brimming my eyes. “You think I should get him to talk.”
She nods slowly, giving my hand a tight squeeze. “Yeah…yeah, I do.”
I sigh heavily, thinking about this. She’s right. It really could be the final thing we need. At least, point us in the right direction.
Gwen sighs. “Not just to fight off Derrick. But also to end this for Tobias. Seeing him the other night was really rough.”
My eyebrows pinch together. “Wait, what? What happened the other night?”
Her back straightens as she looks over my face. “He didn’t tell you? About the lights?”
I shake my head again, feeling the panic rising inside of me again.
Gwen breathes in deeply. “I was headed to work the other morning, and stopped by to check-in on him. He wasn’t home—”
“Must’ve been the night he was at the bar.”
Gwen nods. “Yes. And when I stopped by, I noticed all the lights in the house were off except for Jude’s bedroom.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“I thought it was weird too. So I called Tobias who said he never remembered going in there. We searched with a knife and everything. Nothing. I started sleeping there a few times a week after that.”
I stand up suddenly, making Gwen jump. I pace the floor, trying to steady my breathing as my mild flies a mile a minute.
“When dad passed, I locked that room from the outside to make sure no one would go in there. Meaning…Tobias wouldn’t have just stumbled in there.
” I shake my head. “No, someone was in there. On purpose.”
I search for my phone in my pocket but curse under my breath when I remember. “Shit! He doesn’t have a phone.” I bang my head with my phone.
“What’s going on!?” Gwen jumps up too.
“Derrick’s been to the house. I don’t know why but I can feel it.” I pant.
Gwen nods, running to her hallway closet. Grabbing my coat, she throws it over to me.
“Call the cops on the way. I’ll drive.”
***
Detective Jameson picks up on my second ring.
“Elijah—” She begins.
“I think Derrick’s been to the house.” I rush out.
“What makes you think that? We have had no indication that he’s been anywhere near the house.”
“How would you know!? Tobias told me you all called off the patrol cars.”
“Elijah, calm down.”
“No! I don’t think you understand how dangerous Derrick is. He’s psychotic, he has a gun and he threatened to kill us. I told you all of this.”
“And we understand that, but when he doesn’t show face in three to four months, there’s not much we’re going off of.”
I groan, trying not to pull out my hair. “You said it yourself that he’s been spotted on the outskirts of town. So, it’s not far off that he’d stop by the house at some point. Right?”
“Sure. But, that’s hardly anything. We know he can’t get very far without money, ID, and a passport. Without that—”
“Wait.” My eyes widen as my mouth drops open. “He can’t get very far without a valid ID or passport.” I repeat, as chills roll down my spine.
“Yes, exactly—”
“No, no! You don’t get it.” I look over at Gwen who looks at me with a scared look over her face. “My dad keeps all of his documents in…the safe in his closet.” I mutter. “Hypothetically speaking, how long could someone use a person’s identification after they passed away?”
“They’d only be able to use it for a couple months at random places like bars and…motels.” Detective Jameson audibly gasps, before I hear her angrily typing on a keyboard.
Shit, shit, shit. Why didn’t I ever think of it?
“Okay, Elijah. I’m going to need to make some calls. Are you home right now? Is Tobias?”
“I’m on my way back right now but Tobias has been home all day.” I sniff, feeling tears start to tip over. Gwen puts her hand on my back, trying to soothe my nerves.
“Okay. I’m going to get over there as soon as I can to help you look for your fathers documents. If it’s missing, you might’ve just stumbled on a key piece of information. I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay.” I squeeze the phone in my hand. “See you soon.”
We both hang up and I sit there, in silence beside Gwen.
I should’ve thought of it. I should’ve pressed Tobias more to talk to me.
I should’ve—
“It’s no one’s fault.” Gwen speaks up, breaking the tension in the car as though she can hear my thoughts.
I want to believe her. I want to believe her so badly.
But if it’s no one’s fault, why does it feel so much like mine?
***
We get to our house in record time, thanks to Gwen. I try and not panic out loud but my brain is going a mile a minute.
I open the car door before she even puts the car in park.
“Elijah! Careful!” She yells out. But my mind is in a whole other place. I need to get to Tobias.
Running up to the house, I’m comforted at the fact that I can see the lights on in the house. He’s home.
Walking in the house, I’m immediately met with the smell of warm, spicy broth. Ramen. My favorite.
“Tobias!” I yell out, not bothering with my shoes.
I run into the living room and my mouth drops at the sight of what he’s set up for the night. This perfect human. I take it in, but I don’t let myself linger.
I call out his name again, with no answer in return. Running up the stairs, I beeline it to ours and the guest bedrooms. He’s not in either.
Running to my dad’s bedroom at the end of the hall, I take quick note that the lock on the door has been tampered with. It’s loose and if you weren’t looking for it, it’s easy to miss.
I suck in a breath and open up the door. I haven’t been in here since I lost my dad. I don’t want to mess with the smell of him in here. But, knowing Derrick might’ve been here makes me push through.
Walking over to the closet, I flip on the light and crouch down to the safe. I’m the only one who’d know it’s hidden back here. This is where he keeps our birth certificates—and pretty much every other important document.
The code is easy.
It’s not my birthday. It’s Tobias’s.
Which means…Derrick would’ve guessed it. Shit, how stupid?!
Swinging open the safe, I’m both deeply gutted yet not surprised with what I see.
Everything. Everything my dad had kept safe. Gone.
Derrick has been here and he has stolen everything.
“Elijah!” Gwen’s voice calls out, snapping me out of my internal panic.
Running down the steps as fast as I can, I follow her voice to the kitchen.
“What’s w-wrong!?” My shoe skids on something slippery, and I catch myself on the wall before I fall. “Shit, I almost—” I stop short, taking in the mess spread across the floor.
“The stove was left on.” Gwen’s voice trembles as she points to the broth that’s spilled over and pooled on the tiles.
I feel my hands shake as I take in the scene. Something’s wrong. Very very wrong.
Tobias isn’t forgetful or messy. He would never leave the stove on.
Suddenly, Gwen gasps and recoils, one hand flying to her mouth as fear flickers across her face.
I press down the burning sensation in my throat and follow her train of sight.
Amidst all the spilt soup, there’s something out of place. Once I realize the difference, it’s hard to miss. My eyes follow a string of dark blood, dripping through the kitchen, and out the back door.
My knees crash to the floor as the reality of the situation hits me at once.
“No…” I breathe out.
Derrick was undoubtedly in the house.
Tobias was here.
And now he’s gone.
And I don’t know if he’s okay.
I just got him back and now, he’s gone.
“No, no, no.” I tug at my hair, trying to find another source for the pain. Any pain would feel better than this.
“Elijah!” Gwen cries out, hugging me from behind.
I struggle to get out of her hold. I can’t breathe. I can’t see anything. I feel everything all at once and it’s too much.
He’s gone.
Finally, a violent sob escapes my chest. “Tobias,” I cry out. “He has him. He fucking has him.”
Gwen presses against my back as my whole body shakes. I can’t calm down. Not until I feel him in my arms again.
“We’re going to get him back. He’s going to be okay.” Her soft whimpers putter against my back as she rocks me back and forth.
“We need to find him.” My throat feels dry and scratchy as I gasp for air.
Now the fury is taking over. I feel the ice cold fear in my veins turn to molten lava as the need to find and see Derrick Voss dead takes over.
“We will.” She repeats, rubbing my arms. “We will.”