Fix It for Us (22 page)

I sigh, resigned, “I know, I’m sorry…
so, so, sorry.”

Davis turns back to
me slowly.  His countenance is full of anger, eyes blazing.  And there is something else there.  Disbelief?  “There is nothing.  Not.  One.  Thing.  For you to be sorry about, baby.  It’s those fucking assholes.”  There is venom in his voice. “Neil. Randall.  They did this to you.  To us.  Don’t you worry.  They will pay.  I WILL fix it for us!”

I stare at him and even though what sounds like a sob releases from my throat, no tears fall and I sense a smile break across my lips.  The noise I made must have been all my pent up concern for how Davis was taking this, finally vocalized. 

“Thank you.”  I say quietly. “For understanding, for loving me.  I don’t know how you think you are going to fix it, but I love that you want to.”

I reach up and stroke his stubbly cheek – five o’clock shadow – and urge him to me.  I deliver a soft, slow kiss, full of love and appreciation.  He kisses me right back with the same intensity.  We have a lot we need to discuss, but I relish this moment, because soon we need to get up and plan for how we will move forward.

***

The Ireland brothers story is
still in the news but is no longer the top story.  Gail texted me to turn on the morning news.  The story has fallen to about number five in the line-up, with only a short blurb about Neil being released on bail last night.  The story dominating the news this morning is about baseball.  Evidently, the Cardinals, the hometown team, won a very important game last night.  They have earned a wildcard slot for a shot at the Division Championship.  I don’t really follow baseball until the post-season, but I know this is a big deal in our town.  There was footage of much celebrating around town last night and talk of how to obtain good seats for the home game on Friday night.  Davis and I are drinking our coffee and eating bagels, seated close to each other on the couch as we watch. 

“Looks like the thing with Neil is going to blow over in the news and I won’t have to tell the police or anyone.  I guess the only people it will affect are girls like me that got involved with him.  I’m just relieved my parents don’t know about him and that I was vague about Randall.  Your parents don’t know
, do they?”  I ask him.

Davis shakes his head and takes my hand.  “No, I haven’t talked to them about it.  It’s not my story to tell.  So, nobody else knows the whole story?  Only me?”

“And Dr. Matt… ” then I remember, “And Jules.  Well, she doesn’t know the Randall part.  Oh my God, I have to call Jules right now.”  I give Davis’ hand a squeeze, pick up my breakfast dishes and put them in the sink.  I’m just about to get up to go to the bedroom and call, when his phone rings. 

             
Davis looks at the screen and then says, “It’s my folks.”  He answers the call with, “Hi, Mom, Hi Dad…What?”  Then he shoots a look at me, eyes wide.  “You heard the news?  What news?”  A look of relief wipes away the shock and concern that was there. “Oh…the news…about THE CARDINALS.”  I heave a sigh of relief.  The news about Neil and Randall didn’t even register with them.  Good.  I clutch my chest and signal to Davis that I am going to the bedroom.  I leave him to talk with his parents and go call Jules.  Davis blows me a kiss.

***

Jules is frantic when she answers my call.  “God, Oh Biz, I just saw.  What the hell is going on?  What’s the deal with Neil?  And did you even know that other guy was his brother?  Tell me what’s going on?”

I
answer all her questions, giving her a re-cap.  She already knows most of it.  She just doesn’t know what I suspect Randall did.  I tell her that, evidently, if my experience is any indication, Neil’s modus operandi was to find a girl and develop a “relationship” and then pass her off to Randall.  Somehow, Randall would video himself or Neil with the girl at some point.  That was their “business.”  It’s just a theory I am piecing together from the news stories and what happened to me. 

I’m wrapping up with Jules
when another call rings through on my phone.  It’s a 314 area code number. Local. It could be a call from the station.  I don’t know of any other person or place that would call me not listed in my contacts.  I say good-bye to Jules, assuring her that, YES, I will call if I know more, or if I need her or if I just need to talk.  “Yes, I will definitely call you, I need you right now.  I need all my friends…Umm.  I gotta go, Jules.  I think the station is calling.”   I hit the switch calls button and say hello.

It is
NOT
KTTA calling.

             
“Biz Connelly,” Neil says my name in the low, taunting voice that I used find seductive.  “Hi, babe, long time no talk.”  I have said nothing since saying, “Hello,” and seem to have lost my ability to speak. 

N
eil continues, “You still there?”

“Yeah,” I barely eek out.  Why is he calling me?

“Babe, you may have heard I’ve gotten myself in a bit of a bind.” A bit of a bind?  To say the least.  Neil keeps talking in his cavalier manner. “So unless you want me to let everyone know about you, about you and my brother, Randall and the video you made, you’re going to need to help me out.”

I must be in shock
.  I can barely form the next words, “Help? You? You want me to help you?  What?”  Neil just confirmed it.  There is a video.

“Are you alone?”

“No, my fiancé is in the next room.”

“Aaaah, yes, the fine Davis Brandon.  He figures in
to all this, too.  At least, his money does.”

“I…”

Neil cuts me off,  “Biz, just shut up and listen.  I need money.  Big money.  Robyn was able to scrape enough together for bail, but I’ll need more for lawyers.  And you, Ms, Connelly… ” he proceeds in an oily voice, “seem to have found yourself a cash cow.  Davis Brandon is a rich boy.”

I counter, “He’s not rich, his parents have money but he doesn’t.  And why would I give you money, anyway?”

Neil groans into the phone, “Seriously, Biz.  I just told you, or weren’t you paying attention.  I have the video of you and Randall, ummm, how to I put this … oh, I know, FUCKING.  I’m sure your future rich in-laws will be thrilled to have you marry their only son, once they see it.  And your parents, well, what will they think?  So proud, I’m sure.  So here is what you are going to do.  You are going to get $10,000 and bring it to me…”

I gasp and say, “Neil, I don’t have that kind of money.  I only have about $3,000 in savings and that’s for my college loans…”

“I don’t fucking care WHERE YOU GET THE MONEY, Biz!” Neil yells, “You just need to bring it to me.  Fuck, ask your fiancé, your in-laws.  You’re a fairly smart girl, figure it out.  Oh, and now the price is $13,000, since I know you have more.”

Desperate
, I stall.  “Neil, Neil, I need some time.  I can’t get the money right now”

“Of course, you can’t get it right now.  You have until Friday night.  I’ll call you with where and what time.  And Biz, tell NO ONE.  If I sense the police are on to this, I will post this video in an instant.”  And with that he hangs up.

Did that really just happen?  What should I do?  Should I tell?  No.  No,
I
am going to fix this.  I don’t need Davis to fix it for us.  I need to do it.  I just need a plan to get the money and then the whole Neil and Randall mess will go away. 

A plan
materializes for me when Davis walks into the bedroom and tells me about his phone call from his parents.  They’re coming to town for the game on Friday.  They’re staying with us, in the guest room.  Davis rolls his eyes in a sort of apology when he tells me.  Normally, I would be less than thrilled, but this might be the answer to getting the cash I need to pay off Neil.  If I can talk to the Lt. Governor, ask him for a loan, I could make this all go away without Davis getting involved at all.  I decide.  That’s what I’ll do.  I’ll get Davis’ dad’s number from his phone and call him in the morning.  This whole line of thought has me surprised.  The call from Neil has placed me in a surreal state.  I can’t believe I am planning to meet him and pay him off, but what else can I do?

I must have a pensive look on my face.  Davis comes to stand in front of me and asks, “Everything okay.  Did you talk to Jules?”  I almost forgot that’s what I came in here to do.

“Yeah, yes, it was fine, she was great, very supportive.”  I reply automatically.  I look up at him.

Davis, adorably, cocks his head and
scrunches up his face while sucking in a breath through his closed teeth and ‘sort-of’ smile. “Are you okay with my parents coming?  It’s sort of weird timing.”

I try to sound convincing when I respond, “It’s fine.  Uh …
ummm…I’m going to get cleaned up…” I get up, taking my phone with me and walk toward the bathroom.  “and then I need to go to the bank.”  Davis volunteers to take me and I agree to let him.  If I protest about going alone it may make him suspicious.  I wonder to myself what $3000.00 in cash will look like.  Closing the bathroom door behind me, I lean against it and finally exhale.  I hate lying to him.

***

Having obtained all of the money from my savings account, I now need to get Davis’ dad’s number from his phone.  Rather than being sneaky and looking on his phone, I simply ask, giving a plausible reason for needing it.  My mom needs it, of course.  To give them information about the wedding. The wedding.  It has been the last thing on my mind with all that has happened in the past 24 hours.  Davis completely buys the reason and writes down both his parents’ numbers for me.

I take the numbers and walk toward the bed
room.  Over my shoulder, as nonchalantly as I can, I tell Davis,  “I’m going to make some calls.  My mom and then Dr. Matt, so I’ll be back out in a while.”

Davis is seated comfortably on one of the sofas, with his laptop open.   He’s not facing me.  Turning his head slightly
, but not fully giving me his attention, he says, “Okay, I’ve got some work to do.  I’ll give you your privacy to talk to Dr. Matt.”  I don’t mind his inattention.  It’s easier to deceive him when I don’t have to look at his eyes.  “I’ll knock when it’s lunch time.” 

Lunch.  I’m having a hard time considering everyday things right now.  I just have to get this Neil debacle over with.  I respond mildly, “K” and hurry up into the bedroom.  Standing in the middle of the room, it still doesn’t feel safe enough, private enough to make the call I need to make.  The walk-in closet.  Perfect.  One more door to hide my lying to Davis behind.  I move into it and lock the door behind me.  I can’t believe I am going to do this.  Ask
ing the Brandons for money, but what other choice do I have?  None.  None that don’t expose me or embarrass the people I love.  The person I love.

I sit on the floor of the closet, nestled in a pile of shoes, under Davis’s hanging shirts, my back against the wall.  I have made myself as small as I can,
because that’s how I feel.  I’m in hiding because what I am doing
should
be hidden. 

James Brando
n, answers on the third ring.  “Hello, James Brandon speaking.”

I gulp quietly and reply, “Hello, Mr. Brandon…uh, James.  It’s Biz.  Biz Connelly.”

James Brandon’s voice is upbeat, but curious, “Hi, Biz.  How are you?  Is everything okay?  Davis alright?”  I know why he’s asking.  I have never called the Brandons or spoken to them on the phone before, so this has to seem weird.

“I…uh…Davis is fine.  I, I am so sorry to call like this, but I have a little problem an
d…” Oh my God.  I can’t believe I am going to ask.  I don’t know how to ask any other way, so I just blurt it out, “I was wondering if I could borrow some money for a little while.  I don’t want to ask Davis.  It’s sort of a surprise.”  Geez, that was lame.  “And I need it by Friday.  Friday night.”  I cringe so badly he can probably hear it in my voice.

I guess he doesn’t, because James Brandon only says breezily back, “Sure, Biz  How much?”

Here I go.  “Ten thousand dollars.”

“That’s a lot of money
.”  Now James sounds concerned. “And you need it by Friday night?”

God, I hate lying.  I inhale, exhale, swallow twice and reply, “I know it’s a lot of money, Mr. Brandon
, James…and it’s sort of a time – sensitive thing.  I can’t give you any details, and I don’t want Davis to know.  I’m sorry.  I know you are coming down on Friday.”

There is a long silence and finally James says, “I need to discuss it with Meredith, Biz.  I will need her to get the money, if we decide to help you out.  I have to say, I’m a little concerned about the need for secrecy.  Whatever you are doing
is legal, right?”  No, blackmail is not legal, but I rationalize it by telling myself I am doing a favor for a friend.  I barely know myself right now.

“Yes, yes sir, perfectly legal.”
  Amazing how easily the lies are coming now.

James is going to talk to Mrs. Brandon and call me right back
.  I stay curled in ball in the closet, under the shirts that smell like Davis.  I hope I’m doing the right thing.  It feels like the only way I can go.  I should do what I told Davis I was doing, call Dr. Matt and my mom, but I don’t.  Putting the phone on the floor in front of me, I put my head in my hands and rock back and forth.  I am so screwed.  I engage in my self-talk and work to slow my breathing.  It seems as if hours have passed when my phone finally rings.  It’s only been 20 minutes.  I answer immediately.