Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
This is a nightmare… one I desperately want to wake up from. I don’t bother to grab a new set of clothes. I get my clothes on and kiss Tori, who’s still on the phone with Maribel, trying to calm her down… but proving to be impossible even for her. Tori’s in the same disbelief as I am.
I grab the phone,watching as Tori wipes the tears from her eyes. “Maribel, where are you?”
“The shop,” she cries.
“I’m on my way. Stay put,” I order. I hop onto my bike, open the garage doors, and put my helmet on.
The engine roars to life and I take off, leaving Tori in a sweaty, crying mess.
She doesn’t need to see Cal like this… I shouldn’t see my brother like this, but I need to see him…
No, Tori needs to stay home with the kids.
The moment I arrive at Calahan’s Auto Shop, Maribel runs out with her phone in her hand and throws herself into my arms… sobbing. With my hands on her arms, I tug her back and meet her eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Cal’s he’s-” a sob prevents her from finishing her sentence. I cup her face between my hands, begging her to focus.
“Did you see what happened?” I brush her dark hair out of her face.
She shakes her head in answer. “He’s… he’s gone.”
“Maribel, stay here.” I release her and march into the shop.
“No,” I shake my head, unable to comprehend, as I walk between two vehicles.
“No,” I say to no one but myself when I near that back door towards the office.
“No,” because it just can’t be true. Cal is the brother I wished for and by some miracle, God made sure I found him. He can’t be gone. They can’t take him away from me.
But when I enter his office and see blood splattered on the wall. See him slumped over in his chair with a gunshot wound through the heart. My heart stops.
“NO!” I scream. He can’t be dead… he can’t be. “Cal?” I call out, rushing to his side. Immediately, I check for a pulse but I’m too late. Maribel was too late.
His skin is cold. Hard. Like he’s been here for hours. Alone. With no one to listen to his last words. His last breaths.
Well, except for his murderer. They would’ve heard it all.
“Cal, no,” my eyes sting, tears obscuring my vision as I stare down at my best friend…
my family… my brother. His shit-green eyes…
his words… staring into nothing. I close them, not before I memorize them one last time.
I fall to my knees and grab a hold of his hand.
His heart no longer beats. No longer will blood course through his veins and warm his skin or give it color.
I’m not sure my own heart will beat the same without him here.
My chest feels hollow, the damn thing still beats, I can hear it in my ears, feel it throbbing in my wrist, and fingers.
I feel it everywhere, and I feel it nowhere.
I don’t hear it in his breaths, or see his chest rising and falling. Nor do I feel it in the hand I hold.
“Cal, you can’t be gone. Addy needs her godfather and Vinny needs his favorite uncle. I need you, man. You’re my brother,” I cry into his hand. The numbness taking over my body. Memories flooding my mind. “Maribel needs you.” The tears flow hot down my cheeks… and there’s no stopping them.
“Shit,” Jordie curses as he storms into the room. “Tori texted me.” He immediately answers my unspoken question. “Cal? Is he-”
“Dead,” my voice is muffled and broken… empty. I don’t care if he sees me at my worst.
“Fuck. Do you know-”
“No,” I growl as I stand. “But I’m gonna to find out who did this to him.”
“We’ll need to call it in,” Jordie states.
I simply nod. “I’ll call Cage, get him to come out here.
” Jordie pulls his phone and dials his number.
Cage is the detective for our little town and a Vulture.
We owe him too many favors, luckily free breakfast, lunch, and dinners…
and all the booze he can drink… at my restaurant has been enough to keep our illegal activities silent.
I stare at my brother, taking it all in.
Searching the room for clues. Clearly, he was standing before he was shot and fell into his chair.
Jordie moves closer to Cal’s body with his phone at his ear.
I make my way to the door, examining it.
It was either unlocked when the murderer came in… or he knew the person.
“Do you have access to the computers? Cameras?” Jordie asks, garnering my attention.
“No,” I answer quickly, then think about it. “Yes, actually I do.” I remind myself aloud. “At least I should.”
“Good, the police will want that.” Jordie reads over the documents on the desk… ensuring there isn’t any incriminating information about Cal’s side business. The stealing of cars for parts kind of business.
“I won’t be able to access any of it here. I’ll have to do it from home.” I glance at my brother… wiping the tears from my face.
“Okay.” Is all he says.
“I’m gonna check on Maribel,” I say and walk out.
Maribel is standing by one of the vehicles inside the garage, clutching the phone to her ear.
Her shoulders shake with each gasping breath.
She’s on the ground with her back against the building wall.
The moment she sees me, leans her head onto her knees… wailing.
“The police are on the way.” Feeling the way she looks. I take as many breaths, sounding like sniffles, desperately wishing this was a nightmare.
Tori waits up for me in the living room.
I walk in with Maribel at heels, and Tori runs to meet us.
She’s wearing one of my shirts and her hair is wet and in a braid to the side.
I meet her tear-stricken eyes a second before I collapse onto my knees.
She pulls me to her, her nails combing my hair as I sob against her stomach.
When the morning light breaks through my eyelids and the kids joyfully tottering around the house, do I wake.
Maribel is asleep on the recliner and I still have my head on Tori’s lap.
Her mother’s voice whispers loud near me and Tori, unsuccessfully, whispers back her answer.
Thank God for my mother-in-law and her understanding.
She takes the children out of the house and Tori remains at my side, holding me as I grieve for my brother.