INK: Vanishing Point (Book 2) (9 page)

“I smelled the smoke on her. The
impression of the dream was very strong. If we went to the house we
may even find her blood on the door.” Carl looks directly at
Eli.

“Wait, the fire was real?”
Please say no, please say it was just a dream.

“I was going to tell you tonight
when you got up for dinner.” He stops shaking his head.

“Oh no, this just keeps getting
better. Spill it” Carl and Eli exchange a knowing look.

“There was a fire.” Eli sits
down beside me. “It’s not a total loss, but there’s
a lot of work that’s going to need to be done.”

I straighten my shoulders and inhale
deeply. I’m staring down the barrel of homelessness and I don’t
like how it feels. “Okay, this is the part where one of you
tells me what happened.”

They look at each other waiting for the
other to start. There’s a strange silent exchange between them.

Eli shakes his head, “Here’s
what I know.” He turns to face me, “Someone called 9-1-1
that there had been a shooting and to send an ambulance.”

“Who called 9-1-1?” Was it
Aiden?

“We don’t know who called,”
Eli continues after searing Carl through with his eyes, “You
had been shot twice and the house was on fire. CSI found two distinct
blood types at the scene: yours on the floor and the wall and an
unknown on a kitchen knife. They’ve sent it all off for testing
to find out if it was Aiden’s blood.”

Dread fills my body with worry for
Aiden; what if I hurt him. I want to remember what happened. My head
is swimming in all of this, “But you were there, Carl?”

“I was getting out my car when I
heard the gunshots.” I wait for more, but that’s all he
offers.

“Was Aiden there?” Come on,
I have to know if he’s okay. My God,
did
I kill Aiden?

Carl looks nervously at Eli who appears
very interested in Carl’s answer, “You were on the floor;
you had been shot in the head and the neck. I didn’t notice the
rest of the surroundings, you were my main concern.” Carl stops
to take a breath, but more likely to listen in on what I’m
thinking of all of this and I call bullshit. No way he didn’t
see what else was happening and I know Aiden was there. I know he was
there because he was staying this time. Wasn’t he?

Carl releases a defeated sigh and
continues looking straight into my eyes. “The bullet to your
neck had severed your internal carotid artery and tore your vertebral
artery. I used the kitchen knife to open you up to get my fingers
inside your neck to pinch off the blood flow.”

Eli puts his arm around me as though he
were reliving the scene. My hand lifts to my neck, holding the
bandage. I wish I could remember it. He still hasn’t told me
anything about Aiden. What if it was his blood? What if I killed him?
I wish he would just tell me what happened to Aiden.

“I will.” Carl says sitting
back in the seat.

“You will what?” Eli says in
an angry tone.

Carl tries to give me some super-secret
look, “I will tell you more.”

“Okay then, go on.” I move
my hands in a circular motion.

“You were in bad shape; you were
unconscious and the lack of blood flow to your brain is likely why
you’ve experienced memory loss.” Carl hesitates. “Or
it could be the trauma.”

My entire body tenses at the thought of
anyone’s fingers being inside my neck. This is all so crazy and
I’m worried about Aiden.

“I think that’s enough for
tonight,” Eli says putting his hand on my back for comfort.

“No, actually, it isn’t,”
I protest, throwing his arm off my shoulder and then standing up. “No
one’s told me what happened to Taffy and why I’m still a
suspect even though there is video evidence that I was in Tampa, what
the theory is on Aiden or what’s up with the cop.” I
point toward the front door.

Eli expels a breath as though he’s
been dreading this moment for weeks. He runs his fingers through his
raven-black hair and tilts his head back on the couch, “The
D.A.’s office has been trying to contact the waitress at the
Lenny’s you and McNab ate at; she’s been unavailable for
questioning. They want more confirmation from an impartial third
party before they’re ready to clear you.”

“Okay, well I’m sure she’ll
remember McNab, she was drooling all over him. And then there were
these two assholes that harassed us and McNab put them on the ground
when one of them touched me. You don’t forget that kind of
thing.” I cut a hard look at Eli to continue.

“I don’t know what’s
up with Aiden.” He looks directly at Carl, “But
he
does, he just won’t tell us.”

“Is that true, Carl?” I’m
hopeful he does know something, I can’t stand the thought of
him being hurt. “Do you know where Aiden is?”

“No I don’t know where Aiden
is,” he huffs, looking at Eli like he’d like to choke
him. “All I know of Aiden is that he’s okay.”

“Which brings us to the cop,”
Eli stands looping his arms around my waist. I want to protest but I
want him to continue. “Aiden shot you; he really did try to
kill you and I'm afraid he may come back to finish it.”

“Aiden would never hurt me.”
I can’t believe he would ever think that Aiden would do that
without good reason. I look at Carl to confirm that Aiden wouldn’t
harm me.

“Shay, you sound like one of the
battered women who won’t press charges. Just trust me on this;
I don’t want Aiden anywhere near you.” I break away from
Eli’s hold.

“This is bullshit. If Aiden shot
me, he had good reason or it was an accident.” This isn’t
what I had in mind when I told Eli to stop making excuses for Aiden.
This is crossing a line. Aiden wouldn’t hurt me any more than
Eli would. I’m putting an end to this right now.

“Shooting someone once is an
accident; twice is on purpose.” Eli looks to Carl for
affirmation. Carl won’t give it.

“Whatever Aiden did he had good
reason and when he comes back he’ll explain it or I’ll
remember what happened.” My voice sounds weak. Some people take
a moment to regain their poise; I take a moment to regain my ire.
“And that cop out there is done. We don’t need him.”

“I’m not comfortable with
that.” Eli applies his calming tone, but it’s not going
to work.

“That’s too bad. I’m
not comfortable with a cop hovering around all the time. He’s
leaving.” I walk with a purpose to the door and swing it open,
“Officer, thank you so much for your time, but your services
are no longer required.”

The cop looks at Eli shaking his head.
“Sir?”

“Why don’t you give us a few
minutes, Officer?” Eli says, coming to me and closing the door.
“Shay, this is for your protection.”

“I don’t need protection
from Aiden!” My voice reaches a higher register and I can feel
the blood flowing through the damaged veins in my neck, “If
Aiden does come around I don’t want some cop scaring him off. I
need to see him I need to know he’s okay. Please, Eli, I’m
begging you to please send the cop away.”

Eli pinches the bridge of his nose. “I
don’t like this.”

Carl approaches us in the foyer. “Let
the cop go. If Aiden does show up, he’ll have to get through me
to hurt her.”

“Thank you
Carl
.
Eli, he’s not going to let anything happen to me.” I
throw my shoulders back in a show of assurance.

“No offense, man, but Aiden is a
crafty motherfucker and I’d feel better if Shay had three sets
of eyes on her.” Eli speaks directly to Carl calmly, “You
don’t have a vested interest and I understand you don’t
get it, but I almost lost her once. I’m not taking another
chance.”

“Aiden won’t get past me.”
Carl assures him as his features darken, “And I do have a
vested interest in her. I care about what happens to her and more
importantly, McNab cares and would give his life for her, and so
would I.”

“Thank you, Carl.” I step
closer to Carl folding my arms across my chest and give Eli the “so
there.”

“Fine, I’ll get rid of the
cop.” Eli acquiesces and dismisses the officer.

The few steps back to the living room I
ride what feels like a triumph, but I still know I have to get out of
here. I feel like I’m suffocating. I’m a danger to Carl
and maybe Eli too. I’m going to be a danger to everyone if I
don’t get some peace and alone time. I need to come up with a
way to get out of here and the cop being gone is step one.

Carl eyes me with concern and
disapproval. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, but I’m
not three, I’m a grownup and I’m not going to be trapped
in. While Eli is outside the door talking to the cop, I lean into
Carl and say, “Hey let me see your cell phone.”

Carl hands it over. I text Trish.

It’s Shay, I need a rescue from
Eli’s STAT ~S

Can’t, I’m entertaining
~T

I let out a frustrated huff. “Fucking
Trish.” I push the buttons on the phone like they have wronged
me.

Fucking NOW I need your help, get me
out of here NOW ~S

Be there in 10 ~T

Carl raises and eyebrow. “Going
somewhere?”

Clear your mind, Shay, don’t think
of anything or you’re screwed, “I need to go for coffee
or something and get away from this." I motion toward the
doorway where Eli is coming in.

Carl’s considering my words and I
recite “puppies and kitties” over and over again in my
head. He exhales, shaking his head, “You’ll be back
tonight?”

I nod. “I just need a break before
I totally lose it.”

We stop talking when Eli comes back in
and he notices the silence. I wonder how he likes it. I thank Eli for
sending the cop away.

“Are you hungry, Shay?” Carl
asks. It seems like a misplaced question, I’m able to read the
look on his face and I think I’m supposed to say yes.

“I am actually hungry.”
Which perks Eli up.

“What do you want to eat? I’ve
got a ton of stuff in the freezer,” Eli offers, heading for the
kitchen.

I look at Carl for guidance since this
seems like it’s his idea. Carl mouths to me, “Steaks on
the grill.”

Interesting; maybe Carl was just hungry,
“Can you grill some steaks?”

“Sure can.” Eli busies
himself in the kitchen.

Carl leans forward on the chair and
speaks in a low tone, “You need to call McNab. I’ll tell
you more about Aiden after the police have questioned you about the
shooting.”

“I’m looking forward to it,”
I say, irritated that McNab has been away for so long. “So what
am I supposed to do about sleep? I can’t very well go around
killing people in my dreams.”

“I’m going to work with you
on it.” Carl pauses, “You basically have to put things in
the perspective that you aren’t in a dream. You can’t
give yourself permission to act out or do things you wouldn’t
normally do." Carl ponders that for a moment, “Don’t
do anything you would regret or be arrested for.”

“Okay, I think I can handle it. I
mean, sleep is one of my top three favorite things.” I wink at
Carl.

“What are the other two?” he
asks.

A coy grin slides across my face and I
pump my eyebrows, “Sex and eating; you know the basics. What
are your favorite things?”

Carl’s face flushes to a bright
red, “Eating’s pretty cool. So is sleep, but maybe a
little overrated.”

I’m enjoying this, “That’s
two, what’s the third."

“I’ll tell you if you tell
me: Aiden or Eli?” He raises his eyebrows looking past me into
the kitchen where Eli working on dinner.

“Don’t you already know?”
I tease.

“No, I don’t,” he
presses.

“Hmm, Aiden or Eli?” I tap
my finger to my chin in contemplation, “For sex, fun or long
term?”

“It’s not the same for all
three?”

I think for a minute because honestly
it’s not. I shake my head feeling a little ashamed.

“You don’t have to answer; I
don’t think you can.” Carl looks at me sympathetically.

He’s right, I can’t answer
that question, because I do love them both. Although Eli’s
ahead in the race these days considering he hasn’t shot me.
Twice.

“There is that.” Carl
answers my internal thoughts. I really hate when he does that.

Eli goes through the back door with the
plate of steaks in his hand. That’s my cue to grab my bag from
the bedroom and get out of dodge. Going back through the great room,
Carl gives me a disapproving look. “I want you back here by
eleven."

“Sure thing, Dad!” Puppies
and kitties, puppies and kitties.

Shay

Walking out the door of Eli’s
house feels like I’ve just gotten out of jail. It’s so
depressing in there with all that’s happening. Eli and Carl
hovering over me. I’m not dumb enough to think for a second
that I don’t know that Carl is going to be following me. I may
not have known him that long, but I know him well enough that he’s
not going to let McNab down. Although, I can’t imagine that
McNab is really okay with my incarceration at Eli’s.

I walk down the street toward the front
of the neighborhood to intercept Trish on the way in. I wave her down
when I see her car.

“What the fuck, Shay?” she
asks as I close the car door. She eyes the bandage on my neck and the
fancy new haircut courtesy of Aiden’s poor aim, “Jesus
Christ, what the hell happened to you?”

“Long story, I’ll tell you
on the way to the mall. I need to get a new cell phone.” That’s
step two in attaining my independence.

“What happened to your cell
phone?” She pulls out onto the main road.

“It was stolen at the signing.
That’s why I haven’t called you. Eli’s got me on
total lockdown.”

“Who the fuck does he think he
is?” She taps the steering wheel impatiently at the red light.

“He thinks he’s my great
protector and they’ve had a cop guarding me because they are
afraid
Aiden
is going to kill me. Is that not the most ridiculous thing you’ve
ever heard?” I know I could be stirring up a bees nest asking
her to commiserate with me on anything pro-Aiden, but it’s
worth a try.