Burn to Ashes Page 7

  “So I’m just supposed to trust you because you have some information on me?”

  “You don’t have to trust me; that’s your call. I’m just showing you what’s what. You may not like me and not trust me but that doesn’t change the fact that someone’s watching you. You can’t deny the pictures. Yeah I could have made up the contract but again, that doesn’t change the fact that someone took a picture of you in an intimate situation in a place that no one should have been able to stand and take pictures. Can we at least agree on that?”

  As much as I’d like to disagree…he’s right. Someone has been following me, watching me, and taking pictures. Maybe it’s him and maybe it’s not but I can’t deny the photographs. Before I can ask any more questions my pager goes off.

  “Sorry,” I say getting up. “But I am at work and…”

  I hand him back his pictures and papers. “You can have these.”

  He keeps his mouth shut and leaves, stuffing them back into the manila envelope, then back into his jacket. I’m quite sure that’s not the last I’ll see of him.

  The second half of my shift flies by in true ER fashion. I am so buried in my work a scarcely notice the onward rush of the clock until something happens significant enough to make me stand up and take notice; like Adam showing up!

  I have just finished changing into a new pair of scrubs and run smack into him as I’m stepping into the hallway, head down and lost in thought. I look up, mouth open with a sharp remark on the tip of my tongue.

  “What the fu-”

  “You had to know I’d come by Kari. You can’t just avoid me forever; not after what we’ve been through.”

  “I know…”

  I don’t know what to say. He’s right of course, and I knew a reckoning was in my future. I guess I was hoping it wouldn’t be in my immediate future.

  “Let me guess…you know but were hoping to put it off forever? Is that pretty much it?” He asks.

  He’s right but I’m not going to give him the satisfaction. “Why are you here?”

  “Well, since you won’t answer your phone how else am I going to get ahold of you?”

  “Yeah…there’s a reason I haven’t been answering.”

  “Kari…what we have is real. We may not look good on paper, but deep in your heart you know we are meant for each other. So why’d you do it? How come you left me Kari?”

  “Because I need clarity. I need at least one thing in my life to make sense and to be crystal clear for once.”

  “And that doctor, he gives you clarity?”

  “At least that makes sense…on paper as you say, and when I look at my life with him in it I can’t for the life of me figure out why I traded in my stable life and my well respected career for no career and a life on the lam. Where’s the benefit?”

  “Seriously, you can’t see the benefit even when it’s standing right in front of you?”

  “You made me trade in everything to be with you. What kind of a person makes his partner trade in her whole life just to be with him? I’ve lost everything Adam; my career, my friends, my freedom, my house…everything.”

  “As I recall, no one was twisting your arm behind your back. You’re an adult Kari, fully capable of making her own decisions and dealing with the consequences of her actions. This is not how I envisioned our life together either but it’s happening to us so we deal with it; the good and the bad because that’s what people do, couples or not.”

  “Did you come here to lecture me or is there some other purpose for this visit?” I ask, knowing it’s going to probably piss him off.

  “Where have you been staying?” Adam asks.

  “So it’s twenty questions is it?” I ask. I’m really in no mood to cooperate.

  “Where?” He asks again.

  “With a friend.” I reply.

  “Is that all I am to you?” Asks a very different voice.

  I turn around and Dr. Michael Shanahan is standing behind me looking none too happy.

  “Great,” This is just what I need. Now if we can just get my ex- boyfriend biker in here too we’ll have us a real party.”

  “What are you doing here?” Dr. Mike bristles with anger. “She’s made her choice and found you lacking.”

  “Lacking in what?” Adam asks. “Good looks, confidence, charisma, and a smoking hot body? Or is it my lack of ability to keep her safe that’s got your goat?”

  “How about a demonstrated lack of a moral compass for starters?” Doctor Mike shoots back.

  “I lack a moral compass, says the man who’d rather sit back and do nothing while Ripper and his crew dismantle the life of a respected emergency room nurse along with her friends and family.”

  “I am more than capable,” Mike begins, but Adam cuts him off.

  “Alright, let’s just see how capable you are.” Adam begins.

  Then he tosses an envelope at the doctor. It looks suspiciously like the one I had looked through earlier today. However, the pictures that fall out are different. There are three pictures of dead and dismembered bodies in full, living color. There are also several pictures of me that I hadn’t seen before and two of Doctor Mike in varying states of undress. The last is us together in bed fast asleep. There is also a copy of the contract on my life. Doctor Mike swallows hard and bends down to retrieve the offensive photos. He examines each one carefully before looking at the contract. He turns white as a sheet.

  “Are you prepared to protect her from the men who did that?” Adam asks the doctor, knowing what his response will be. “Are you capable of killing another human being? If you aren’t… you have no business trying to protect her and certainly not going after those men. It’s like sending a first grader into the ring against a professional boxer. You’re the first grader; if you’re unclear on that.”

  It takes a bit for the doctor to speak. Clearly he is very disturbed, shocked, and knows he is way out of his depth.

  “Has anyone called the police?” He finally asks.

  “Too risky,” Adam replies. “We can’t know which ones the Sons have in their back pocket.”

  “Weren’t you the VP of the Sons?” Doctor Mike asks. “Shouldn’t you know who is in your club’s back pocket and who’s not?”

  “I don’t know who the Cycle Demons had before the merger of the two clubs. We call the police and they’ll think we’re scared.”

  “We are scared!” Michael replies.

  “Really? Adam says. “That’s another reason why you’re in no position to be protecting anyone.”

  It’s time to put an end to this squabble; or at least my part in it.

  “Uh…hello! I’m working…at least I’m supposed to be working. I can’t have you guys ambushing me at my work. You guys figure out on your own whose going to be stalking me so I can get back to work.”

  I turn on my heels and leave them standing in the middle of the hall before they have a chance to protest. Soon as I get off work I’m going to pay my sister a visit. Maybe do dinner or something so we can talk. I’m tired of the men in my life right now and I could use a female’s perspective, even if that female is my little sister.

  Chapter 5

  Shots in the Dark

  Three hours later I’m picking up Anna from her apartment. On the phone we settled for the Macaroni Grill. It’s a nice, kinda overpriced, Italian place not far from where my sister lives. They have one of my favorite dishes there, Steak, Asparagus, and garlic mashed potatoes. Every time I order it I swear I cannot eat the whole thing, and every time I’m wrong. I’m not a pig but I just cannot, not finish that delectable dish. Anna always orders something like Fettuccini Alfredo with prawns or chicken. Alfredo sauce is far too tasteless for me but she loves it.

  We’re almost home when problems arise. We’re sitting at a red light when the car behind us lurches forward and hits our bumper. I can tell from the impact that there won’t be too much damage to my Prius, but I have to get out and check. That also means exchanging information with the o
ther driver; not something I really want to do. For a brief second I consider shooting across the intersection and losing him/her. Instead I do the responsible thing and pull over to the side of the road. I get my registration and insurance card from the glove compartment of the car and get out. I look up just as the other driver is getting out of his car and my heart just about stops. It literally looks like a Calvin Klein underwear model has stepped out of the other car. He is tall; well- muscled in his wife beater tee and has long dark wavy hair that frames his strong jawline. Holy crap he’s hot! He’s wearing a pair of low rise faded jeans and a pair of black leather boots with just the right amount of scuffs. He walks up to me and fixes me with his dark eyes.

  “Sorry ma’am wasn’t paying attention. Why don’t you give me your info and you can start writing down mine.”

  He reaches out towards my hand that is clutching my papers. This could be a set up. He could have purposely hit me to get me to give my info so he can verify who I am for a hit team. If that’s the case, the second he has my real identity I’m, and my sister is dead. He’ll make a call and tail me giving instructions for a following hit squad who’ll take me out when the time is opportune.

  I turn around and motion for my sister who is right behind me to get back into the car. Instead of giving him my driver’s license I show him my insurance papers which don’t have my name on the first page. I just need to stall a little time here.

  “I just need your license ma’am. Don’t need all the other stuff. I’m sure you have insurance and all.”

  Time to split. All my instincts are telling me this guy purposely hit me. I’ve got alarm bells ringing between my ears so loudly I can barely think straight. Something isn’t right. In my right hand is another paper that looks like my insurance info but it’s just a piece of paper with instructions on how to put together a bookcase from Ikea. I just happened to have it in my glove compartment too. I pretend to drop it, and being gentlemen like he is pretending to be, he has to stoop over and pick it up for me. Time to pounce.

  I strike downwards across the unprotected back of his neck and just as promised by Adam, he collapses face first on the side of the street. He’s not dead. I just struck a bundle of nerves that rendered him unable to move. It’ll only last maybe ten or fifteen seconds but that’s enough to get into my car and lose him.

  I sprint back to my car, throw the door open and fire up the engine. I don’t dare look back. I already know what is going to happen. If the guy is legit he’ll be making a call on his cell phone to the police. If he is who I think, he’ll be concentrating on getting to his feet so he can chase us down. He’ll wait till he’s chasing us before he makes a call to any back up team. I suddenly become aware that my sister is screaming at me.

  “Kari what the fuck was that?”

  “It’s not what you think little sis.”

  “Then what is it, because I saw you hit that guy across his neck. Is he dead? Did you just murder some innocent guy?”

  “He’s not an innocent man. He’s…Shit! Shit, shit, shit! Oh this is bad Anna, this is really bad.”

  “You’re just now figuring that out?” She shrieks. “You killed a man back there and you’re just now realizing it’s bad? Who are you?”

  “The police are following us. Oh fuck, what am I going to do now? He must have seen me hit that guy. Oh my god we’re in deep shit Anna.”

  “You have to stop! You murdered a guy and the police saw you. You can’t get a way Kari, you have to just stop and turn yourself in.”

  I hit the gas! I can’t get pulled over now, not after attacking a guy and doing a hit and run accident. My only hope is that he hasn’t been able to see my plates and I can lose him. I make a hard right, then a left and into a subdivision. I know this area and I may be able to lose him.

  “Kari, what are you doing? You have to stop. Or if you won’t stop, just let me out. I won’t say a thing.”

  “I did not murder him Anna! I just knocked him out; that’s it.

  “Well at least slow down.”

  “Sorry sis, can’t do that either. If I slow down he’ll catch up and see my license plates.”

  I make another hard left. So far I don’t see flashing lights anywhere in the night sky. I may have just got lucky. I turn another corner and suddenly I can hardly see. Bright yellow lights fill up my front windshield effectively blinding me. I slam on the brakes to keep from striking the police car in front of me. How did he get in front of me? Good thing I don’t have a license plate in the front of my car. I come to a stop ten feet from the open door of the police car. I can’t make it out but I’m sure he’s standing behind his door with his gun pointed at me.

  It’s over! I’m going to jail for assault, hit and run, and evading a police officer and resisting arrest. A cold suffocating blanket of fear descends over me. My heart is pounding, and I can barely breathe. My life is over! I don’t know what to do…accept maybe run like hell. But I can’t. I just can’t make myself move; I’m frozen in place. I look over at my sister. She’s sitting in her seat trembling. She’s terrified and for good reason. What if the cop starts shooting? It’s over. I open my door to get out when there’s a tremendous crash. Suddenly the air around me is one big billowing cloud of dust and smoke. The once bright lights are now dimmed and going out. There’s a lone blue light still shining from the crushed police car. From the smoke a lone figure is walking towards us; it’s the guy who hit us earlier. He smashed into the police car; but why? I guess they want to deal with me on their own instead of letting me get tangled up in the legal system. How nice of them.

  I jam my key in the ignition.

  “What are you doing?” Anna asks, as she unbuckles her seatbelt.

  “Getting us out of here! That guy there is the guy who hit us.”

  I start the engine.

  “Well of course he’s there; you beat him up and fled from an accident. He wants to get your information.”

  “Are you not seeing this?” I ask. “He just rammed that police car; probably killing the cop that was in it. We have to get the fuck out of here Anna.”

  The man is reaching into his jacket. Shit, he’s going to just shoot us here instead of a snatch and grab.

  “Kari?”

  I put the car in reverse and the man draws a handgun. I glance back behind us; the coast is clear. I step on the gas and I can feel the impact of bullets slamming into my car; at least I think I can feel the bullets. Kari is shrieking in my ear again. If we ever get out of this mess I’m not sure she’ll recover from this enough to get with the program. My own mind is going a hundred miles an hour. On one level I’m thinking about my sister while another part of my mind is thinking about that police officer that had the bad luck of running across me. He may very well be dead because of me. Then another part of my brain is thinking about where to go now? Should I just drop my sister somewhere and hope that all the trouble follows me and not her? Dumb idea. They’ll go after her if they can’t find me. They’ll use her to flush me out and I can’t allow that. No…she has to stay with me or she won’t be safe. Not that she’ll be safe with me either.

  I slam on the brakes and jerk the wheel hard to my left, spinning the car around. My poor Prius is never going to recover from this abuse. I can see why criminals never use their own cars; for a number of reasons. I really should have learned how to break into cars and how to hotwire them. It’s way too dangerous to be driving my own car around now. A few minutes later we go flying out the subdivision and onto the main drag. I really have to abandon my car. I know where there is a shopping center near hear that has bad lighting and lots of cars. I have an idea.

  Ten minutes later I drive my car into a ditch. While Anna looks on bewildered, I take off my license plate. This will slow down the identification of my car. I also remove any papers with my name on it.

  “What the hell are you up to?” Anna finally asks.

  “Don’t distract me! I’m trying to save our lives and I can’t do it if you kee
p asking questions. Just follow me and you’ll live.”

  That was kinda harsh but… I lead us across an empty lot and over to the shopping center. There’s a restaurant at one end that usually has lots of cars. They also serve alcohol and lots of people stay there all hours of the night drinking. After making sure no one is around I casually walk between cars checking door handles. Maybe I can find a car with an unlocked door. Five minutes later I find my first unlocked car; an old Toyota Corolla. I check in the visor but no keys. Next I feel around the outside of the car looking for one of those little magnetic boxes that have a spare key. Three cars later and I find a car with a hidden key in the back bumper; bingo. Anna is still looking at me like I’m a crazy person and maybe I am, but she doesn’t say anything when I get in. Like a sheep she follows my example and piles in after me. I put the key in the ignition and just before I can fire it up my whole body begins to shake uncontrollably. My sister looks over at me.

  “Well,” she says in a hollow voice. “At least you appear to still have a conscious.”

  Question is…how long before that is gone too. As we pull out of the lot I can’t believe I just stole someone’s car. Part of me feels guilty and part of me thinks, hey it’s either this or me and my sister die a horrible death. I choose life! How far will I go to protect my sister? How far will I go to protect my own life? Pretty freaking far I guess! I take it slow driving now. I don’t have to worry about that guy back there finding me. There’s no way he’ll come to the conclusion that I just stole a car. If he’s lucky he may find my car before the police do. Suddenly it hits me. There are bullet holes in that car. That means immediate police attention. They’ll find out it’s my car and assume I’m the victim of some heinous crime and be looking everywhere for me. How am I going to stay hidden with the whole city on alert?

  Ten minutes later we’re pulling into the Hotsy Totsy; a local dive bar that is usually teeming with degenerates; or so I’m told. This is the last place the cops, or that man, will be looking for us. I figure we hang out here a couple hours then go back to my car, drop my sister off and go…go somewhere.