Chapter 26
After being discharged from the hospital, the three of us decided to go back to my place. Jake hadn't seen it yet, and I really just wanted to be in the comfort of my own home. When we entered, the first thing I did was go into the kitchen and grab a beer. My right arm was in a sling, so using my left hand, I popped open the bottle with the edge of the counter top. I no sooner brought the bottle to my lips, before Zoe was snatching it from my hands.
“Are you an idiot?” She asked, passing the beer to Jake. “You just got released from the hosptial, and you're on pain meds!”
“One beer isn't going to hurt me Babydoll.” I smiled, reaching around her for the fridge handle.
“Wes!” She said, stepping infront of it, blocking my path.
“Don't make me throw you over my shoulder and-”
“Ahem.” Jake said, clearing his throat noisily. “Brother in the room.”
“Don't make me embarrass your brother Babydoll, it's just one beer.” I crooned.
“And you were only in one medically induced coma!” She said, her emotions getting the best of her. “You almost died! Because of me!” The tears came then. The one's that she'd been keeping inside for so long. Needing to stay strong for me. I instantly felt like the world's biggest asshole.
“Shit.” I said, reaching for her with my good arm. “I'm sorry Babydoll.” I said, pulling her against me and kissing the top of her head. “None of what happened is your fault. You understand me?” I asked, placing my finger under her chin, needing her to see the truth in my eyes. “This is on me. Not you.”
She nodded rapidly against my hand, before laying her head on my chest and sobbing into me. I did my best to console her, telling her I didn't really need a beer. When she'd calmed down, we made our way into the living room. I sat down on the couch, and Zoe curled into my side, her eyes still rimmed in red. She was exhausted, and I hoped she'd close her eyes and rest. I could see that Jake was a bit uncomfortable, but he was doing his best to be ok, just as he said he would.
“Before we left the hospital, you mentioned needing to talk.” I said. “What happened?”
“You remember everything up to the point of being shot, right?” He asked, and I nodded my head in agreement. “I was outside waiting, I still had a minute thirty before I was going to head in, and then two black SUVs pulled in. Cole got out, flanked by at least ten guards, and before I knew what was happening I heard a gun shot come from inside. I left my hiding spot then, revealing myself to Cole. He held his hand up, telling me to stay where I was. I didn't know if I could trust him or not, but I had to. His men entered, more gunshots went off, and then his men came out. As soon as they arrived they were gone. That's when I ran in and found you on top of Zoe. Every single guard was dead.”
“What about Vanessa?” I asked. Rubbing my hand up and down Zoe's shoulder.
“I got a text this morning.” He said, pulling his phone from his pocket and passing it to me. “It's from Cole.
The message read “Tell Wes I'm sorry, but I did this for him. I told the police everything. Soon, I'll be behind bars, but so will Vanessa. Tell him not to try and save me. I need to do this. This is the only way.”
“The fuck?” I asked, startling Zoe, who had drifted off beside me. “Sorry baby.” I whispered, rubbing her arm again reassuringly.
“What do you want to do?” Jake asked, finishing off the beer Zoe had given him. My beer.
Zoe snored quietly beside me, and I smiled looking over at her, so glad that she was alive, and here with me. Cole did that. He made that possible. I owed him now more than ever, and I had to find a way to get him out of this mess. Telling me not to save him, wasn't going to deter me. Infact it was only going to add fuel to my already growing fire. Vanessa was a big dog, and with the right lawyer, Cole had a good chance at walking away from this whole mess, I just needed to find that lawyer.
“I'll call around in the morning. See if we can find him a lawyer. You think they'll let him out on bail?”
“Not likely.” Jake said, setting his beer on the end table and walking towards Zoe. “I'm taking her to bed.” He said, scooping up her sleeping form effortlessly and climbing the stairs. She'd had a rough few days, and I was just glad that she was finally asleep.
When Jake came back down, he joined me at the kitchen table. I had the file folder spread out across it, seeing if there was anything we may have missed.
“My only concern is Harper.” I said, before taking a long pull from the beer I'd been nursing. Jake's side eye told me that he didn't approve, but he wasn't going to rat me out either.
“Vanessa's sister?”
“Right. Zoe said she never seen her, and that was her house. So where is she? And how much does she know?”
“Your guess is as good as mine brother, we could run a quick background check? Maybe find her place of employment?” He suggested, grabbing a beer of his own.
“Who do you know that can just run a background check, no questions asked at this time of night?”
“Who don't I know?” He said pulling out his cell and dialing a number.
After a two minute call, and with only the bare minium of information on Harper Blue given, Jake's phone started pinging. File after file was being downloaded, as we sat and sipped our beer. The joys of modern day technology. When the pinging stopped, Jake began scrolling through the information, mumbling to himself as he went. I sat watching, and waiting, for something of importance, and it wasn't long before I got what I wanted.
“Shit.” He said, sliding his phone across the table, and into my hand.
“Harper is in a mental institution?”
“No wonder Vanessa was out to get you. Her sister must have gone through something awful to wind up in one of those places.”
“There's nothing I could have done. I left. I never got Vanessa's damn letter. How do I know she even wrote it? I mean who hangs onto a letter for that long? Did she slip it under my pillow, realize I was gone, and decide to keep it? What good did it do her?” I asked, slamming my empty beer onto the table with force. “I feel like shit Jake.” I confessed, finally allowing myself to actually feel the guilt that had always been there.
“You aren't that kid anymore Wes. You've served your country. You've saved lives. You've more than made up for your actions.”
“Have I?” I asked, heading to the fridge for another beer.
“Take it easy on those.” Jake said, gesturing towards my drink. “My sister would kill me if she knew I was letting you drink.”
“You gonna rat me out?” I asked, a bit harsher than I intended to.
“Maybe.” He countered just as harsh, before going to grab another beer himself.
I laughed, and he joined me, raising his beer up in a mock toast. I followed suit, and brought the bottle to my lips. I wasn't much of a drinker, but for whatever reason they were going down like water tonight. The guilt I felt about Zoe being kidnapped, and Vanessa's sister losing her mind felt crippling. I never thought that this part of my past would be the one that came back to haunt me. I always thought it would have been about the man I killed. The man Cole took the blame for killing, and now he was sitting in a cell, because of me.
I may not have physically put him there, but it was still my fault none the less. Vanessa never would have gone after him if he wasn't my brother. Sure, he'd still be getting high, and partying like a college student, but he wouldn't be sitting in a jail cell facing drug charges. Yea, this was all my fault. I never should have come home with Jake.