CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Chris greeted us with his typical lazy smile. “Hey Aidan, Clarissa.”
“I thought I’d tag along to see what you’ve been working on,” said Clarissa.
“Yeah, sure. Come on in. I’m having a Pollack moment.”
I laughed. “You make it sound like a disorder. Let me guess. You’re splashing paint about?”
Chris chuckled. “Yeah, man. Sometimes I just need to let go.”
Clarissa stopped. “Aidan, I left my bag in the car.”
“Do you want me to get it?”
“No, I will,” she insisted.
I nodded and stroked her rosy cheek. “Okay, sweetheart.”
I followed Chris into his studio.
“This is a good time to tell you before Clarissa returns,” said Chris. A grimace shadowed his face.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“You know I’ve been knocking about with Jessica.”
I nodded.
“I saw her last night. She was shit-faced and confided something that was so disturbing it kind of robbed me of sleep and has been hanging heavily over me since.”
My eyes remained transfixed on him.
“She told me she hired a hitman to take Clarissa out.”
Blood raced through my veins, and my knuckles stretched the flesh around my fist. “What? The car chase, you mean?”
“Yeah, that. She was seriously drunk. I let her have it and tossed her out. She banged on the door, threatening me.” He laughed grimly. “She’s fucking trouble, that one.”
“Fuck” was the best I could say.
His sleep deprived, bloodshot blue eyes glistened with sincerity. “I like you and Clarissa. You’re good people. Most people look at me as a junkie, a drop-out. I’ve lost every job because of it. And you still gave me a chance.”
My head was swimming in too many directions to take in Chris’s words of sincerity. “Would you be prepared to testify?”
He nodded.
It suddenly dawned on me that Clarissa was not with us. Why was she taking so long?
“I better check on Clarissa. I’ll be back in a minute.”
When I stepped onto the street, there was the car but no Clarissa. I was still raging after Chris’s revelation, and my blood pumped so hard through my veins that my heart felt like a hard rock banging desperately against my chest.
The dirty gray street was spinning around. It was an out-of-body experience. I couldn’t breathe. I yelled out her name, which echoed back with desolation. My senses returned, and I called 911.
I looked about to see if there were cameras.
Chris came out.
“She’s gone. Chris. Fuck.”
Just as Chris uttered, “Jessica,” my phone buzzed.
It was private. I picked up.
“Hello, Aidan.” It was Jessica.
“What have you done with Clarissa?”
She laughed. “What makes you think I’ve got her?”
“Stop fucking playing games. What do you want?”
“I want you, Aidan.”
“Where’s Clarissa?” The phone was wet in my palm. Such was my anxiety, I was squeezing the life out of it.
“She’s safe. My men are salivating over her right now.”
I yelled, “You fucking bitch, Jessica! If anything happens to her… if anyone touches a hair on her head…”
“Here’s a picture for you.”
A picture came through of Clarissa. Her blouse was half torn. My heart exploded into glass shards. A mixture of frustration and violent hatred gripped every sinew in my body.
As I held the phone, shaking, Chris called the police.
I pressed my beeper for James. He had a sophisticated tracking device linked to my phone. Within a moment, he would be capable of tracing the location of the caller.
“What the fuck do you want from me, Jessica?”
“I want us to meet. Then I will lay down my demands.”
“You must promise me to keep Clarissa safe.”
“Hmm… I’ve got two very horny security guards here that are taken with her. That’s for sure. It’s going to be hard to stop them from fucking her.”
Blood boiled and drowned my mind of reason. “I will fucking kill you, Jessica, if any of your men touch her.”
“This is the deal. You come here and fuck me in front of your little girl, then I’ll let her go. Then you’ll be mine.”
My breakfast raced up my esophagus. “Send me the details. I’m coming now.”
“Not so fast, big boy. No heavies and no cops. We’ll do it this way. I’ll meet you at Veronica’s. When I’m satisfied that you’re alone, only then will I call my men, giving them the heartbreaking news not to rape your little girl. How’s that?”
I swallowed back the bile that was rushing up my throat. “Okay. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“I can come with you if you like?” said Chris.
“No.”
“What will I say to the cops?”
“Tell them everything that you know about Jessica. I’ve got to go.” I jumped in the car and raced off.
I pressed the button on my console and called James. “Did you get a trace on that call?”
“Got it,” said James.
“Okay. Get there now. Clarissa has been abducted by a couple of heavies. Hurry.”
“We’re onto it right now. She’s on Sunset Boulevard.”
“That figures. Fucking Jessica Mansfield. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I have to meet her at Veronica’s first. It’s only up the road from there. Call the cops as backup.”
“We’re onto it, Aidan.”
As I sprinted along to the fashionable diner, my legs were heavy. In my mind, a warped motion picture of a million scenarios played out. I saw hairy, heavy dudes all over my angel. I wanted to fucking scream. The fire that was ablaze in my body and mind made me blind to the busy street of onlookers. Luckily, I had shades on.
I spotted Jessica. She was sitting outside with a martini. About right. She was a lush. Always had been. A spoiled little rich girl who’d taken so many drugs and alcohol she’d become deranged. I couldn’t believe she’d resort to abduction, not to mention hiring a hitman.
An oily curl formed on her plumped pout. “That was quick.”
“So this is your way? In order to get me, you’re going to resort to criminal behavior. You’re going to prison. I’ll see to it.”
“No, I won’t. Daddy will save the day. He always does.”
“You’re seriously fucked up, Jessica. You have to have what you can’t have. When you had me, you went around fucking anybody with that loose cunt of yours.”
She winced. “Ooh… you’re being nasty now. Michael’s cock’s dripping with need to fuck your little girl.”
I grabbed her wrist. “Listen, you fucking whore. If anything happens to Clarissa, if they touch her in any way I will fucking rip you apart myself.”
She laughed. “Mm… that sounds promising. You’re so sexy when you’re angry.”
“What happens now? I want Clarissa freed. I’m here, like you asked.”
“We’ll go home and have a nice fuck right in front of your little chick.”
“What makes you think I can get hard around you? It was difficult enough when we were together.”
“Ouch. Now you’re being an asshole.” Her green eyes narrowed as she licked her lips. “I’m the queen of blowjobs, darling. I remember drinking you up morning, noon, and night.”
I couldn’t believe that this woman was to be my wife once upon a time. Although she was beautiful in a manicured way, that self-entitled arrogance and hardness of heart made her detestable and ugly.
I stood up. “Let’s go, then.”
She dropped a large bill on the plate, finished her drink in one gulp, and followed me.
A message pinged on my phone. I stopped to read it. It was from James.
We’re at the house. It’s a fortress. We’re trying to break in. Dogs everywhere. We’ve called the cops for backup.
Jessica stood close. “Put that away, sweetheart. We’ll take my car.”
“No. You’ve been drinking. I’ll drive.”
“Whatever,” she said, holding onto my arm. “Mm… this is just like old times.”
I shrugged violently out of her hold. “No, it’s not. You can’t force someone to be with you, Jessica.”
She laughed. I could see she was enjoying herself. She was fearlessly insane. Experience had taught me that that was the most dangerous kind of criminal.