Chapter 7
-:- CHAOS -:-
Today is the day I am taking Victoria home to her apartment. I’m sure she’ll be fine once I get her settled into the place. It’s a pleasant apartment but small, so she’s going to know I’m around even if I try to keep a low profile, which I’m not likely to do if I’m being honest about it.
Walking into the hospital room once more, I give Jack a slap on the back.
“Thanks, Jack. You’ve been great watching over Victoria.
” I stop speaking when I notice Victoria is sitting in the easy chair Jack had been using, and she has one of Jo’s books in her hand.
Shit, that’s raunchy stuff and I know the brothers love them as they play out the scenes. Well, the damn sex scenes that is.
“Why are you reading that?” I ask, which has her nearly jumping out of the seat.
Giving me a dirty look as she looks up at me, “Goddamn it. Don’t do that. This is a good book, and it’s the first in a five-book series.”
“Okay, have you everything packed ready to go?”
Jack nods and holds a small weekender that has the few things Victoria had for her use here. “All here, Chaos. I’ll carry them to the truck for you.”
As I’d already signed the release papers and told the nurse to stick the wheelchair because if Vicky couldn’t make it out of the place I’d carry her, bridal style.
Victoria walked out perfectly fine. She had her arm laced through mine and Jack walked in front of us, making sure nobody got in our way. We took it slowly as I didn’t want her to get dizzy.
After settling Victoria into the truck, I thank Jack again and watch him walk over to the hog he received from Target.
It looks like what it is, a bike that needs fixing, but he’ll get it done.
I know he’s been cleaning every inch and has a list of things he needs to get it in peak condition.
Victoria happily waves at Jack as we pass him leaving the hospital parking lot.
It doesn’t take long to reach the apartment, but once inside I take a deep breath because the Three Stooges are sitting in the kitchen waiting. Who the hell gave them a key?
“What are you three doing here? And how did you get in?” I ask. Specs had BS come over and fit a solid lock on the door, and I can bet he’s given these three a spare key.
Wriggling a key in front of her, Amelia smirks right before sliding that key down the front of her dress and into her bra. Now, I know I’m a daredevil and I’ve done some shit in my time, but putting my hand down an eighty-year-old woman’s dress is not one of them, and not going to be one of them.
“Oh, hello,” Victoria steps towards the three and gives them a huge smile.
“Hi, Victoria. I’m Amelia and this is Bitty and Sybil.
” Amelia points out who is who right before grabbing Victoria into a hug before passing her to Bitty for the same.
Of course, Sybil won’t be left out, so she has a hug, too.
I’m standing here like a fool but quickly shake myself into moving and take the weekender into the bedroom.
Walking back into the kitchen I lean against the wall as I watch the three women fuss over Victoria.
They have a plate of ribs with a salad on the side in front of her.
They are talking about what they’ll do if anyone tries anything underhanded when they are around.
But when Amelia shows how well she can use a cane, for defense purposes of course.
I smirk when Victoria starts to laugh. That is the trigger that sets all three of the Stooges to acting like five-year-olds.
“Okay, you three it’s time to go.”
Sybil huffs. “No, it’s time for you to go. We are getting Victoria settled in. You have a message to go speak with Sheriff Forest and Nell.”
“I’ve not had a message from Forest!” I take out my phone and see nothing. No missed calls or messages. I give Sybil a questioning look, and she smirks while flicking her head towards the door.
“Shit’s sake, okay. You three stay with Victoria and I’ll hurry and don’t do anything, and I mean anything stupid…” I give all three a serious look, but the fuckers are looking at me like butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths, and we all know that’s not true.
“I’ll be fine, Chaos. Honestly, the ladies are lovely, and we are getting along like a house on fire. I’ll eat and then shower before I climb into bed. The ladies will be here to help me.”
The door opens and Star walks inside, and I’m wondering why she is here and who told her where Victoria lives. But turning to look at Bitty I can see she’s doing everything she can not to give me eye contact. Yeah, now I know who the guilty party is.
“Hey, all. I brought some pastries from the bakery, and a good headache remedy from my dad. He brings it from the UK when he visits friends.” Star empties the bags onto the kitchen counter, and I make my escape by giving Victoria a kiss on the forehead while whispering I’d see her later.
****
I decide to send a text to Aaron since he was the one I spoke to initially.
Chaos: Any news on the situation?
It doesn’t take long for him to reply, which I’m pleased about. I hate waiting for responses to text messages.
Aaron: The parents have been keeping a low profile. I’ve a few kids watching the place for any kind of movement. The kid has not been to school yet either. He has been seen in his bedroom window, so we know he’s alive. I may go ask to see him, just to fuck up whatever it is they are doing.
Chaos: If you go I’ll go with you.
Aaron: OK.
I make my way to Nell’s to see what the fuck is going on with this nurse. Parking my hog outside the front of Nell’s, I’m not surprised when she opens the front door and signals for me to head inside.
Once sitting in the kitchen with a cup of Nell’s chamomile tea with a hint of honey, I listen as she tells me about the guy they had from us.
“He was a weak link to whoever is doing this, but from what Tank found from the asshole it’s all linked to the brother owing something to the up-and-coming senator.
They want Victoria to use her skills on a system.
What system we don’t know. When she refused, they decided she was a liability and had to be removed.
Hence, the assassins, who are not real assassins.
They are just assholes trying to make big money.
” Nell takes a seat beside me, pushes a plate of cupcakes towards me and leans back, waiting for my response.
“Let me call Stitch and see if he has an answer to what the fuckers had in the syringe they both brought.” I take out my phone and make the call, waiting impatiently I may add, for him to answer.
“Hi, Chaos, what’s up?” Stitch asks.
“Do you know what was in the syringe yet?”
“Oh, yeah, the report came back an hour ago. It was a mixture of drugs, and the result would have been stress on the heart until the heart stopped. Making it look like heart failure,” Stitch snarls. “Who has the one the nurse had?”
Nell grins. “I do.”
Oh, now that look on Nell’s face could be bad for the nurse. But you know I’m not really bothered about that because anyone that would hurt someone else for dollars isn’t worth my feelings.
“Do you want to come with me to speak with this nurse?” Nell asks, and I can see she’s not really worried if I do or don’t.
“Yeah, I’ll come with you.”
The back door opens and Graham walks inside the kitchen, gives Nell a quick hug, which she rolls her eyes at, before slapping my shoulder and giving me a fist bump. “Okay, sister dearest, are we going to sort out the bitch downstairs?”
“Come on, Graham,” Nell pushes Graham out of the way and makes her way out of the kitchen, with Graham and myself right behind her.
“Well, it seems our little lady friend here doesn’t want to impart any information,” Graham states as he leans against the wall in the cell where Nell is holding the fake nurse.
I have said and done nothing since we came down to the cells, but I’m losing my cool. Nell has removed all the woman’s jewelry. Cut her hair so it’s close to her head and even removed her pinky finger. As yet she has said nothing regarding who sent her.
Standing to my full height I squat in front of where she’s tied to the wall in the cell. “So, let’s see, Victoria is friends with Bethy, and Bethy is Art’s sister. Art is in trouble for something and needs his sister's best friend to get him out of that trouble. How am I doing so far?”
The woman is doing her best to stay calm, but with each name I throw out it is obvious she knows them. Her eyes widen right before she looks away to the side or at the ground.
“Now, moving along. Art is in debt to the up-and-coming Senator Joe Tizwald,” I say it slowly so she doesn’t miss the fact I’ve made the connection.
A tear falls down her cheek and Nell smirks.
“See we are not fools. You are the fool for taking on a job you don’t know how to do.
Assassins are trained to do the job. Get in and out without being seen.
Do the job cleanly so no evidence is found.
Now this was an easy way of getting rid of Victoria’ until you blundered that is. ”
I didn’t see it coming, but Nell stuck that syringe needle into the woman and hit the plunger, sending the drug into her system. Pulling out the syringe, Nell looks at the woman with a blank face. “Now you will find out what you were going to do to another person. An innocent person.”
The fake nurse is now blubbering and begging for mercy, saying she wants us to find an antidote and fast. Get her to the hospital, and other bullshit that isn’t going to happen.
Nell looks at me and Graham. “We’ll have to burn this one because I’m not risking this shit with Jaws, Shark, Teeth and Jingle. My boys are more important.”
“Come on, Chaos. Graham can watch over our nurse here and we’ll go have another cup of tea, this time Earl Grey.
How about that?” Nell saunters out of the cell.
I give the nurse one last look and shake my head at the wailing she’s doing.
Graham takes out his phone and starts playing a game while he waits. I follow Nell and go for a cup of tea.
It’s only half an hour or so before Graham walks into the kitchen and gives both Nell and I a nod. “Well, that is that done then. But I reckon we may need to take a brief road trip. Graham, what do you think?”
“I’m up for a trip. I think Tank and Richie may be up for it, too.” Looking at Nell, Graham changes his mind. “I should say Tank or Richie.”
Nell rolls her eyes. “I can look after myself if you all want to go on a road trip. Nothing to worry about here at all. I don’t want Freddy and Jason to turn up either!”
Nodding, Graham grins. “It could be fun and a change of scenery.”
“Yeah, speak to Tank and Richie and let me know. I’ll be ready whenever you are. We can go fuck up some up-and-coming senator's campaign.” I chuckle as I kiss Nell’s cheek and head out to my hog, whistling more than a little happy tune.