Wrongful kiss Chapter 12 : Bed Time Stories September 13th 2011
Andy Harper set in his chair behind his desk in his office. But it was not the same desk, in the same office, in New York where he had taken the last call on the cell phone that was now ringing.
This desk was in Andy’s office in his home.
There were four cell phones on the desk. Each had a purpose. This phone was a private encrypted phone between him and his brother. Dan had one just like it and the two never called anyone other than each other using these phones.
Andy pushed a few keys on his key board and his computer then connected to the phone.
“Hello little brother” Andy said without touching the phone. This computer was not connected to the internet like Andy’s note book computer was. But by using a blue tooth and jamming device Andy could send files to the desk top using the phone and the notebook.
“Hello Andy. I talked to Thomas.” Dan sounded tired.
“You sound tired little brother, where are you?” asked Andy.
“I am in my car about fifteen minutes away from home in Birmingham. Greg and Andy are here with me. Greg was with the girl yesterday, and Andy was with Thomas. They are both ready to make a report to you about what they know.”
“Dan you take the report and then let me know what you think we need to do. Thomas was.., is your friend so I am leaving this matter in your hands.”
“Okay then, from what I have learned I now believe Thomas was trying to find us because of the near due date of the accounts. I do not think he ever had any thoughts of doing anything other than what we have agreed on many years ago. His only concern was the girl and if we had kept her safe.”
Dan paused for a few seconds to let this sink in to Andy.
“I also now know that both he and the girl are hunting each other, and in fact have never stopped hunting each other. I have reason to believe that we in fact may have been the reason Thomas has not been able to find her over the years because we have had her hidden away.”
“She was never hidden away Dan.” Andy said.
“She may as well have been because we made sure no one ever found her.” Dan was a little mad. He and Thomas had been good friend going back to college.
There was silence.
“Thomas asked me to make sure she was safe and said that meant even from him.” Andy said.
“I know Andy. And we did a good thing by keeping our word.” Dan let his brother know he also accepted some of the fault at keeping Thomas and Kelly apart.
“But I guess I should have been just a little bit better of a friend and made sure what they wanted.”
“How do you know she wants to see him Dan?” asked Andy.
“Greg asked her.”
Andy did not say anything. Dan knew his brother was pissed off.
“He had a long talk with her and had to let her know we were here. The little girl tried to cripple Indus.” Dan laughed.
“Bob Indus?” asked Andy.
“Yes, Bob stopped her and the old man and when he did the little girl kicked the shit out of him. Greg said that Indus said she kicked him in the knee but that the way Indus was walking Greg said he would not be surprised if she had kicked him higher.”
Now Andy was laughing.
“I remember the first night I seen that little girl. Not her but her mother. She had kicked someone that night also. I remember later when the boys undressed him his nuts were blue as hell with a bruise.” Andy was still laughing.
“I also remember that Thomas almost killed those two boys that night.” Now Andy stopped laughing.
“Your friend Thomas cost me a good friend that night Dan.” Andy said.
“No Andy, your good friend tried to rape a little girl and almost got his self killed that night, which is what should have happened anyway.” Dan would not let his brother put the blame for that night off on Thomas.
“You are right little brother, as always.” Andy said. And he meant it. Dan had been his right hand all his life. Nothing was going to change that.
“So what do we do now?” asked Andy.
“Nothing” Dan said. “Andy told Thomas not to go to Atlanta or call the girl or go around her until the family gives him permission.”
“And how did he take that?” asked Andy.
“He told Andy he was leaving for Atlanta by Friday, with or without blessings.” Dan laughed.
“You think that’s funny little brother?” Andy asked.
“Yes I do. Thomas is not a fool. He knows he is a son and he knows Andy is an Angel. He also knows that Andy has no authority over him. If it had been you are I, he might have listened for a minute but then I will bet he would have done the same thing. This girl is the only thing he cares about in the world.” Dick stopped laughing.
“Do you understand Andy we can’t let nothing harm this girl?” Dan said.
“Well what are you doing to protect her little brother? Andy asked.
“Well I have a ghost on her right now.
Bob Indus was called a holy ghost in the family. His job was to make sure that the family was protected at all times. He would die before letting anything happen to one of his charges.
“We also have the team that has been assigned to her and the kid for the last few years, and we are adding the second team you ordered tomorrow.” Dan said. “I don’t know these men Andy and I don’t like sending them to watch over her without knowing them.”
“Don’t worry about them Dan. I was told they are the best.” Andy said. “So when are you going to give him permission to go for the girl?” Andy asked then.
“I’m not.”
“Why?”
“We are not going to have any contact with him till the three of us meet up here in Atlanta next week. You still have to tell me when you want to meet. Anyway I have pulled off his tail and we are leaving him alone till he arrives in Atlanta.”
“How are you going to know when he is there?” Andy asked?
“He is going by RV. We were able to place a tracker on the RV so we can keep up with where he is. I didn’t want to chance him making any of our guys watching him so I thought it best to let him find his way alone. And by doing it this way he will know that we trusted him and he come to Atlanta without permission so you will have a slight upper hand when we meet.”
“You are very smart little brother.” Andy said.
“Thank you brother” Dan said.
“What happens if we need to talk to him in the mean time?” Andy asked.
“Andy gave him my number. I told him to. Thomas can call me if he needs to.”
“Not this number?” Andy asked.
“No, never, not this one, he has my personal number.”
“Okay” said Andy. “When did you get to Atlanta?”
“I arrived yesterday but drove to Birmingham. I am going to be back in Atlanta on Monday morning. I am sending Greg back to head up the security detail on the girl. And I am going to keep Andy with me in case something happens and I need someone to react fast.”
There was silence for a few seconds and then Andy said,
“Looks like you have everything in order little brother.”
“Thank you Andy. I don’t want you to worry about Thomas, he is one of us.”
“Okay brother, I will take your word. I will call you in a couple days and let you know when I want to meet.” Andy was ready for bed.
“Okay brother. I will talk to you later.”
They said bye and both hung up.
Dan Harper drove his car into his drive way. Little Andy and Greg set quite. They knew Dan was thinking.
Dan felt like something was wrong. His brother was hiding something from him.
Andy Harper set at his desk. He looked at an email on his note book computer. It read….
Hello friend, it has been a long time. As always when one brother visits another brother, I am sending greetings and a gift. One of my associates has found a young model in your area that I am looking forward to training. My associate is in your area on personal business but will be signing this model up for me. Please accept my gift as payment for any trouble this may cause you.
The email was signed Omar.
Andy knew who Omar was. He was trash in Andy’s eyes. He was also the head of a very large and powerful family from the Middle East. And he liked little girls, little white girls.
Andy did not like these ‘kind’ of people. And he did not like these “Kind” of deals, but he had no choice. Not unless he wanted a war with the other families. And he knew he would lose in a war with all of the families.
But he was not sure what he could do now. He had only given his word to keep one of them safe, not both of them, and now that word was coming back to harm him.
Andy reached over and took the printed picture from the printer. It was her alright, the little girl, Tasha was her name. And Omar wanted her.
When Carl said he needed to be going, Kelly told him to hold on a few minutes so she could run to the bathroom and get the car keys and that then she would drive him.
Carl then told her no please. He said he would like to walk and that it was just to pretty a night to waste. He wanted to walk and enjoy his self.
It took about ten minutes for him to make Kelly really believe he wanted to walk. In a way she was glad because she did not like to get out at night.
After Carl was gone, Kelly and Tasha were in the kitchen and had made a cup of hot chocolate for each of them. They were setting there talking before bed.
Mama was Thomas a good guy or bad man? Tasha asked.
Kelly looked into her daughters face. “Oh no, Tasha, Thomas was not a bad man, he was a good man. It is just that we did something wrong that we might have not should have done.”
“Sex?” Tasha said. She was grinning.
“We talked about this already.” Kelly said.
“I know, and I am almost as old as you were then. Tasha said grinning.
“Don’t get no ideals little girl.” Kelly warned.
Tasha giggled. This was a habit that Kelly had when she was a little girl also. She still did it sometime.
“So he would have been my daddy if you had stayed with him?” Tasha asked again.
“Yes I suppose he would have.” Kelly said. “But if he was then you would not be you.”
“Does that make you sad mama?” Tasha asked. “That Thomas was not my daddy.”
Kelly looked at her daughter.
“Yes and no. I would not trade you for a million other little girls. So I am happy the way things turned out so that I have you. But I would have loved having another you with Thomas as your father.” Kelly thought, did I say that right? She then said,
“Gary Sara is your daddy. And he always loved you.” Kelly stopped then finished, “And he was a good man. And he loved you and me very much. And I think I hurt him because I had Thomas there in my heart at the time and Gary knew it.”
“What about my other daddy?” Tasha asked. “Did you love him?”
Tasha was asking about Keith. That was her daddy. The man she called daddy. The man she loved as her daddy.
“I did love Keith. I think I may have loved him more than I did Gary. But still not half as much as I love Thomas.”
“Thomas must be a really special person to you mama.” Tasha said.
“Yes baby, he was. He is. I think I loved him the first time I saw him but I was too young to know it.” Kelly said.
Silence for a second.
“But, you have a brother.”
“What?” Tasha said. “I have a brother? Why have you not told me this before?”
“I didn’t think it was time.” Kelly said.
“Where is he?” Tasha asked.
“It is a long story. Come on, let’s get ready for bed. You can sleep with me tonight and I will tell you all about it.”
An hour later the girls were lying in the bed and Kelly finished telling Tasha about her brother.
“Mama you really like Thomas didn’t you.”
“No I didn’t like him.” Kelly looked at her daughter.
“I loved him Tasha. I loved him and I still do. He is the only man I ever really loved.” She started crying.
“And I think he loved you mama.” Tasha said. “Maybe he is out there somewhere tonight thinking about you.”
Tasha looked at her mother. “Mama, maybe you two are crying on the same bright star tonight, just like in the song.”
Kelly stopped crying and smiled at Tasha. They both giggled then. Kelly grabbed Tasha on the belly and started goosing her. Tasha broke out in big laughs. Then when Kelly finely stopped they lay there and looked at each other. Then Tasha started singing, “Some where out there beneath the still blue sky …”
With a tear Kelly joined in singing with her daughter.
Carl had been able to make it to the liquor store on time and then walk about half a mile before he started feeling the pain in his leg. Carl wasn’t that old, but he was a drunk. He had been most of his adult life, and had made up for thirteen years of doing without by drinking as much as he could these past few years. Carl needed a drink but was scared to turn the bottle up. There were too many cops around tonight. Something is up with all the cops out like this, he thought, I might hit the up town pad tonight.
The up town pad was one of several camp sites in the woods that he had set up. It was well off the beaten track and not many people knew about it. Most of the people that did know about it would be home in bed tonight at this time of morning.
Carl was so happy when he reached the path that lead off the main street into the woods and to his camp. By the time he had stepped into the camp, off the path, he had killed the pint bottle he had picked up for the trip. Now he had only the two, liter bottles left, more than enough. He also had some secret stash’ hidden away here at the up town pad. That is if no one had found them.
Carl stopped as soon as he entered the camp and took one of the beers he hat gotten from Kelly out of his back pack.
Then Carl looked around. He was looking to see if anyone had moved anything. They had. Someone had been there, and not only that, but they were still here. He had been in such a hurry he had not even seen the boy standing there until he had walked up on him.
“Hey Carl.” said the young boy as he stepped out of the tree line.
“What do you want?” Carl asked. Carl did not like him. He knew this boy. He was okay. But Carl really didn’t trust him.
Martin Yates was fourteen years old. He was big for his age, big and strong. And he had no father figure to show him right from wrong.
Martin did go to school. The law said he had to. But the teachers left him alone because they knew he was not going to do anything they said. As long as he did not cause trouble he was allowed to pretty much do what ever he wanted, just as long as he left everyone else alone.
Carl walked over and set down on a milk crate turned up side down. He set his back pack down beside him.
“That was you she was talking about tonight weren’t it?” He asked.
“That was me.” Martin said. He was a smart kid, and he knew that Carl had left the storage office with Kelly and Tasha. And he knew Tasha loved him. So Martin knew Carl had to be talking about Tasha and she had to be talking about him. “I am happy to know she was thinking about me.” He laughed.
Martin was in love with Tasha. He followed her around and watched her from a distance. But he was too scared to talk to her. She really did not like him and had even slapped him once when he had tried to kiss her.
“If you hurt that baby in any way,” Carl started his threat.
“Don’t threaten me old man. Don’t forget who I am. What I can do to you.”
“I don’t care who you are or what you can do. If you hurt Miss Tasha, I will kill you.” Carl meant it. He had never meant anything else in his life like he meant this.
“Relax Jack. Did she say I hurt her?’ Martin grabbed Carl’s back pack. He took out a beer ignoring the Old Thomas bottles and then pitched the bag back to Carl. He set down and popped the top of the beer.
“No, she said you beat up the other kid.”
“Damn right I did. And I will do it again if he touches my girl again.”
“She is not your girl.” Carl said angrily.
“Well she sure the hell ain’t your girl old man.” He was looking at Carl. And Carl was returning the look, both with fire in their eyes. “Don’t give me that look old man. I have seen the way you look at her. You like that little ass don’t you?”
“You are one sick puppy, you know that.” Carl said.
“Maybe so, but I know you got some feelings there. You just make sure you keep them clean. She is my girl even if she doesn’t know it yet.”
Carl wanted to say something. He wanted to do something. But he could not. He had hit the boy once then the boy had then beaten the shit out of him.
Carl knew he could not do anything to this kid face to face. But if he ever turned his back just right, well that would be another story all together.
“I am not here to fight with you old man. I just wanted to drink a beer with you and give you some information I have. Something you need to do something about.”
“And what would you know anything about that I could passably give a shit about.” Carl really did not like this kid.
“Well for one, did you know there was a man over at the Blue light bar the other day asking questions about your girl friend?” The boy had Carl’s attention.
“Not only that, but today when Tasha got off the school bus, that same man was setting in a truck over across the street watching her. I know because I was watching her also. And then I started watching him.”
Carl though to his self, this has to be someone else. I don’t think he is talking about the two guards.
Martin then gave Carl the funniest look.
“What you thinking old man?” he asked.
“What did the man look like?” asked Carl.
Martin described David to Carl. Carl did not know who David was, but he knew that it was not one of the two guards.
“What did the guy do?” Asked Carl?
“Nothing, he just set there and watched all of you till you left. Then he pulled out and followed you when you left. I couldn’t keep up with you of course seeing as I don’t even own a bike.”
Carl set there for a second, thinking. He needed a drink. What was this all about he wondered.
“Did you know him?” Carl asked.
“Like I said I never saw him before. I just know he was old and ugly, just like you. But he was not a run down beat up old drunk.”
They looked at each other for a few seconds not speaking. Carl thought I am going to kill this little bastard one of these days.
“That look does not scare me old man,” said Martin. “But you want to know what did scare me, his eyes. I swear I have never seen anything in my life that scared me like his eyes scared me. They were screaming with death.”
“So why are you telling me?” Carl asked.
“Because you can tell her and point him out to her. I don’t know Tasha’s mother and Tasha will not listen to me. Every time I try to talk to her she runs away.”
“She had taste.” Carl smiled.
“Screw you old man.” Martin reached for the back pack again. When he did Carl hit him on the side of the head with his beer bottle. Martin fell over onto the ground, his head bleeding where he had been hit.
“Damn you old man.” Martin said as he started to get up.
Oh shit Carl thought. I really screw up this time. He stood up to get ready for a fight.
Martin slapped him once then grabbed him from behind around the neck. He had a choke hold. The two of them stood there for several seconds.
Carl had his eyes wide open. He was looking up and could see the stars. They are so beautiful he thought.
“You are killing me.” He said as the stars started to blink out one by one. He really would have been pissed if he knew what Martin done after that.
Back at Kelly’s house, Bob Indus and his partner were parked two houses down from Kelly’s house on the other side of the street.
“Bob do you see that truck over there, three cars down from the girls?” asked Bob’s partner?
“The black one with tinted windows” Bob said.
“That’s the one. I think there is someone in the truck.”
“What makes you say that?” Bob was now watching the truck also. He had been watching the house up till then.
“Ever so often the truck moves like someone inside is shaking it.” The partner had been a cop a long time ago.
“So you want to check it out?” asked Bob.
“I think we should.”
Before the two men could do anything the truck started. Then moving ever so slowly the truck started rolling down the street toward them. The truck stopped in the middle of the street setting beside the car facing the opposite direction; the driver doors setting side by side.
Bob never drove, but he had this time. He liked to be able to move fast. Now he was trapped behind the wheel of the car. He was pissed.
Bob pulled his gun out. He could not open his door. His partner opened his door and stepped out holding his gun.
Slowly the window of the truck driver side went down. David set there. He held his hands up to show he had no weapon. Then he made a sign with his fingers on both hands.
“Get in the car.” Bob ordered his partner.
David smiled.
“Tell Andy Harper to get the fuck off my back.” Said David. He started laughing as he drove away slowly.
Bob’s partner jumped back into the car
“What the hell was that about?” He looked at Bob. “Who you calling?”
“I am calling Dan Harper.”
Bob’s partner did not say anything. He didn’t know what to say. What this man had done was total craziness. But then if Bob was calling Dan Harper then he knew something was not right. No one called Dan Harper just like that.
After a short phone call Bob hung up.
“What did he say?” the partner asked.
“Greg and Dan’s son Andy will be here tomorrow. They will take charge. Until then we are not to take any orders from anyone. And he said this meant anyone. And we are not to let them two girls out of our site.” Bob was a white man. He was now whiter than he had ever been in his life.
“How for up does anyone go?” The partner said.
Dan grin, a scared grin. “All the way to the top.”
“Holy shit!”
