Chapter 13
"I told you not to come."
"I can see why." Jack Jr. managed not to give into the shudder as he sat in the corner with the phone at his ear. The industrial walls looked like puke and stunk of disinfectant, the very strong type. As if that was going to take away from the dismal environment.
And his father looked far different from the once powerful CEO of Audio Tron, a once very lucrative and successful software company.
His face was creased, his blue eyes bloodshot and the hopelessness made him look older than his sixty-two years.
His shoulders were thin and sagging, the awful orange jumper giving his skin a pasty look.
"I'm working with a team of lawyers to try and get you out."
Jack Senior lifted one shoulder in a shrug. He had long since given up hope. It had been a month since his incarceration and it felt like ten years.
"It's not that bad." A humorless smile played around his lips. "Three squares and all." His eyes turned brittle. "Where are you getting the money to pay lawyers?"
The old man might be locked up, but he still had a little spit and fire left in him. All was not lost.
"We're selling some assets. Mother is beyond consoling. She wants to come and see you."
His old man's expression hardened, his eyes turning to ice. "I know she's your mother, but I don't want that adulterous bitch in my sight."
Jack resisted the urge to snarl. "Mother explained to me that slimy son of a bitch seduced her. She said you were working all those hours, and he came onto her. You know how much of a bastard he was when it comes to women."
"I'm sure he never put a gun to her for her to spread her legs." Jack Senior shook his head. "I don't want to talk about her." He glanced around at the guard standing by the door. "Listen," his voice dropped. "I don't want you to worry about getting me out of here. I need something else."
"Name it."
"Find that bastard's offspring."
His son frowned. "Aria? Why?"
"Sylvan Copeland owes me money and he's dead."
"Because you ordered his murder." His son pointed out reasonably.
His father waved a hand in dismissal. "I want what's mine. The money that's owed to me. Find out where she has run off to and get the money from her."
"How do you propose I do such a thing?"
Jack stared at the young man and curled his lips in disgust. The boy, well he was a man now, he supposed. Thirty-two and a goddamned disappointment. He had never worked a day in his life.
His hands were as soft as butter, his complexion pampered. He blamed his bitch of a wife for making him turn out this way.
"You're going to do something worthwhile for the first time in your godforsaken life. Find Aria."
"I asked around and it's like she dropped off the map." He whined. Jack wanted to reach through the partition and ram his fists down his gutless body.
Tamping down his fury, he counted to ten silently. It would not do for the guard to have to haul him back to his cell.
"There are ways of finding out things. The internet. Paper trail. She's not disappeared into thin air." He smiled bitterly. "I'm sure she has heard the news about me. She was always a sweet girl who turned into a lovely young woman." His eyes swept over his son's unimpressive frame.
The boy was wearing tweed, like a frigging librarian. He found himself wondering where he went wrong.
"She's my goddaughter and I want to get a word to her."
"What word?"
Closing his eyes and praying for patience, he gritted his teeth. "Haven't you been listening? I want my money. Every last cent of it. Find her and try civility and a little charm." He glanced at the pimples on his son's face.
Who the hell has pimples in their thirties? He wondered in disgust.
"Forget the charm, you've never been one for it.
Try and talk to her, reason with her, if that doesn't work, then use threats.
The cops are saying she was not involved, but their competence is not something I put a great deal of stock in.
Find this bitch and get her to tell you where she hid the money.
I know she sold everything in order to pay back what was owed.
But I'm still short a few thousand and I want what's mine. Find her."
"Where do I start?"
Jack seriously thought about putting out a hit on the spineless loser.
"Want me to tell you where to point your pecker when you're pissing too?
" he hissed. "Start with airlines, train stations, car rentals, things like that.
I spent a hell of a lot of money sending you to good schools.
Use the brains you're supposed to possess. "
Jack gulped and swallowed and wished he had listened to his own instinct warning him to stay away. But his mother had begged him to come.
"I won't hurt her. Aria is a friend."
Jack forced himself to offer a genial smile, while his insides were seething. "She's my goddaughter and I love her. God knows that son of a bitch who was her father never valued her one bit. I don't want to hurt her too. Just find her and I'll do the rest."
Jack gave him a suspicious look. "What does that mean?"
Patience tried, Jack glowered at him. "None of your goddamned business. Kindly remember that I have a long reach. Do as I tell you or bear the consequences." He rose, a hardened expression on his gaunt face. "I'm expecting to hear from you soon."
Hanging up the phone, he turned to shuffle from the room with the guard at his side.
*****
Blissfully unaware that her life was about to unravel, Aria enjoyed the Easter parade.
Birchwood might be a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, but they certainly knew how to celebrate.
There were lavish decorations on store fronts and banners and billboards flashing with lights and glittery announcements.
In honor of the day, sales were going on everywhere. Ten to fifty percent off items, ranging from clothing to furniture.
The streets were lined with children, bursting with impatience and wondering what time the parade would begin.
Kenneth had slept over as usual, and they had left from the cottage. Her spring outfit, an orange and lime colored sassy looking dress with a nipped in waist and thin straps, looked good on her. Her hair was washed and gelled with a careless finger combed style.
The orange glasses with the large frame suited her face and gave her a slightly scholarly look.
'Sexy geek', Kenneth had dubbed it. He was wearing casual khakis with a green shirt that made his eyes even greener. And he was holding her hand.
Her attempts at pulling away had not been successful. People stared at them and whispered, but for once, Aria did not care.
She was having fun. And eating cotton candy.
"You're going to get sick." Kenneth predicted, plucking a piece of the frothy loaded sugar.
"I don't care." Her mahogany eyes behind the lenses sparkled, her orange coated lips shimmering. Acting on impulse, he leaned over and kissed her right in front of the entire town.
People cheered and clapped, and he just grinned when she elbowed him in the ribs. She might not want to say the words, but she belonged to him as he belonged to her. Completely.
Content to have her next to him, her arm tucked through his, he directed his attention to the sparkles and trumpet playing of the live band.
Within minutes, the parade had started. Aria was delighted to see the mayor and his wife being transported in a carriage decorated with the town colors of blue and green.
They were greeted with waves and cheers, with the children jumping up and down in excitement.
They were followed by a low bed truck carrying all the contestants and cheerleaders, twirling their batons and blowing kisses at the crowd. A marching band followed, slowly, instruments blaring, looking wonderfully uniformed in blue and green with a touch of red.
The town's mascot, a snarling bear carrying a large branch from a birch tree pranced and pivoted much to the crowd's delight.
Aria had finished off her cotton candy and was enjoying a candied apple that had been passed to her by a grinning vendor. The enticing scents of peanuts roasting, hot dogs and popcorn made a pleasant backdrop to the noise and merriment going on.
Kevin and Kingsley had joined them a few minutes ago, both men sporting dates. Aria had no idea who they were, until Kenneth whispered in her ear their names. His father's date was a widow he had been going out with for quite some time.
And she wondered if Kevin's date was even old enough to vote.
The woman's white bosom was overflowing the tiny leather top. And she was clinging to her date as if she expected him to leave her at any minute.
Shaking her head as the woman uttered a shriek when the mascot came near her, she turned her head to see Kingsley sending her an amused stare.
She had a feeling the man did not approve of her, but he was making an effort to be friendly, and she appreciated it.
For the first time in her life, she felt free and uninhibited. Even when she was a child, outings like these had never been allowed. She had been expected to always be on her best behavior and going to a fair would have sent her parents into a deep spiral.
Even as a teenager, her outings had been selected for her. The theater, museums and tasteful art galleries. Their excuses were that they were exposing her to the cultures of their society.
Her birthday parties were more for them than it had been for her. A few select friends of hers would be invited, but they were never allowed to simply get wild and drink beer and eat chips.
Now she was free to enjoy the wonderful party and not care if anyone was watching to make sure she behaved.
At one point, Kenneth stood behind her, his hands wrapped securely around her waist. Letting go, she leaned into him and felt the security of his strong and agile body against hers.
She laughed at the antics of the town's people, some of whom wandered over to them and included her in the conversation.