Wounded Souls (Closed)

[yaturtle]

Jack pulled up the menu for the topside restaurant.

Hmm.....I'm thinking panini's ...maybe an assortment we can share?
You girls have any thoughts on food. Any requests from the liquor store?

 

[Asa]

It did not miss Isabell's notice that Jack was avoiding any comment about her dad getting involved. Owing her dad s favor was the last thing anyone ever wanted to do more than once.

Sounds good Jackie then we ALL need to plan this out.

 

[yaturtle]

Jack came back with the food and spread it out on the table in front of them.
When they were done eating he sat back sipping his bear and hugging Lena into him. " I hate to spoil your fun Izzy , I know you would enjoy taking him apart. But I have a different Idea..... How would feel about a nice little vacation up country. Nice little house with a private beach on the lake. ... Just you and Lena. I will come back for you both after I take care of business down here. And of course we will have a back up plan that will include you getting your wish. I hate not giving you a choice in this Lena , I need you to trust me honey"

 

[Asa]

Isabell raised a brow.

You are scared to death of Stuart and the crew ripping you a new one by getting Torrence involved, aren't you? Not that I blame you few want to owe my dad a favor more than once.

She thought for a moment.

You don't mean my sister, do you? Really you want to inflict bubble shopping brain, Jessica, on this poor girl and me. What did I ever do to you to deserve that?

She was serious yet joking as well

 

[yaturtle]

Jack laughed. " No no no I hadn't thought about that . I was thinking about my sisters place . She is taking the family down to disney and said she would leave the place for as long as I needed it. I don't think it will take all that long to deal with him. Maybe a few weeks.

 

[Asa]

Isabell noted Lena tense up at him talking about sending her with anyone away from him.

Counter offer you two go to your sisters house and I call my uncle. What's worse blood on your hands or this ass rotting in some third world prison for the great of his life labeled a grave robber and artifact thief?

 

[yaturtle]

"There shouldn't be much blood unless he fucks up or I fail miserably.
I'm not planning on that but you and your uncle are plan B just in case.
I won't forget to tell him your right behind me if he doesn't play ball.
Jack slid his phone over to Isabel. Come on Lena let Izzy take some shots of us enjoying ourselves and smiling a lot , maybe on her boat too. I don't know if I will use them, but I will have them if needed.

 

[Asa]

Isabell grinned at the idea then Lena addressed the elephant in the room.

Why does no one want to owe your father?

Isabell took a long seig of beer before lookingnat her. My dad would make your ex look as innocent as a newborn. Favors owed to him are seldom cashed in on simple things. Not someone that I ever suspect you will meet then again I could ask him to hide you and no favor owed and anyone try to get to you then he would end them but that's another story.

She then aet down her beer and picked up the phone.

Oh yeah pictures all over the world of a happy Lena.

 

[yaturtle]

Oh yeah pictures all over the world of a happy Lena.[/QUOTE]

Jack thought he detected a tinge of jealously from Isabel but promptly ignored it. As tomboy as she was she had dropped subtle hints on him in the past. He just wasn't going to ever get tangled up in her family.
They took some shots of Lena's smiling face enjoying the sun on the ocean, and some with jack kissing her cheek or her hugging him.

Then it was time to go. Jack kissed her goodbye .
Then watched her looking at him as they pulled away on Izzy's boat.
He sighed. She wasn't the only one who didn' want to be apart.

 

[Asa]

Isabell got to the dock at her dad's mansion only to find him standing there.

Jacob says that you have had a run-in with Torrence Dalton... With the presence of his ex-wife here with you I get her he is right. What's going on Isabell?

Isabell filled her father in. They spoke for a little bit and Torrence invited Lena to stay with him instead and told Isabell to inform Jack that he has a week to solve this problem with Jscobs help if it's not solved in one week then Jacob will execute Callis.

Isabell called him before Jscob left.

Jackie... Dad is giving Lens one free assistance. Jacob works for you for one week. End this problem in one week or Jacob execute him. No one owes dad anything... This time.

 

[yaturtle]

Jack hung up the phone with Izzy and hustled up the gangway to the Bar.
He pretended not to notice the car across the street watching him as he went through. It was still early and mike was alone stocking the bar.

"Nice of you to stop in"[/COLOR Said mike ,his words dripping with sarcasm as he placed a pile of unsigned invoice's on the bar for Jack. Jack ripped through the pile quickly ,his mind really on the latest change of events. Out of one eye he watched one of the occupants from the car walk across to get a better look at the boat he didn't know was empty. This wasn't one of Callis's regular thugs . Jack thought he must be upgrading . This guy was younger ,very fit ,and wearing a pretty nice suit. He couldn't from there but he might be packing too.

He didn't like any of what was happening. Why did dad want to get involved and send Jacob? especially with a deadline and orders to kill Callis. Why was Callis so determined to get to Lena. There was more to this than anyone was telling him. Falling for Lena had landed him and the crew in the middle of something big.

He took a pull of the beer mike had put on the bar for him without asking, and looked up the name of the reporter who did the story on Lena the night she showed up at the bar. With the promise of some recent photos of Lena the woman agreed to meet him and exchange some information.

" our old friend Jacob is on the way to stay with us for a bit. Give the keys to the apartment over the shop. I will catch up with him later tonight.

 

[Asa]

The room cooled the mention of Jacob. That name in that reference meant one thing in most minds. Torrence Dalton and that meant a favor was owed or trouble.

So why will the rabid killer be here?

 

[yaturtle]

Well mike...that's a good question. Isabel didn't just appear at the marina for nothing. And now the old man is sending jacob to babysit me while I deal with calis. Threatening to kill him if i don't get to him within a week. We both no if they wanted him dead it would already be done. How is involved with the Daltons ? Why is he so determined to get to Lena yet they aren't helping him?
Something crazy is going on here mike. Lena must know or have something he desperately needs. I don't think she knows she has it. She's not that good of an actress. Or maybe she is and she's playing me like a fiddle .
I hope the reporter can shed some more light on this. And I hope i didn't just feed Lena to the lions.

 

[Asa]

Bartender looked at him for a moment thinking...

Before Isabell and the others mom Torrence was deeply in love with someone. Amazing young woman who ended up getting killed... Murdered... He couldn't save her. So the tales go about that family.

One of the old regulars walked in.

Talking about that sweet little singer Nadia from Torrence dads club The old MidnightRose.

Mile looked over.

So the tales are true?

The old man nodded.

Yep.. Her death really messed that old boy up for a long time.

 

[yaturtle]

Jack sat across the table from Sandra Middleton the reporter from the channel 9
news room that had covered the story of Lena's dramatic tirade When she left the company. He thanked her for meeting him on such short notice. They agreed
to exchange information and be discreet on both sides. Jack showed her the photos of him and Lena leaving out Isabel or the name of her boat. He assured her Lena was well but admitted he was hiding her from her determined ex husband. He needed to find out why he was after her,and he knew it wasn't love. Her last story hinted that their was something going on at the company but didn't say what. Jack asked her if she could shed any light on the situation as it may help him protect Lena. Sandra told jack that her original purpose for her film crew being at the company that day was to interview and confront callis with the rumors that several female employees were going to file charges of abuse against him. Timing is everything as the saying goes. While they were waiting for callis to come out the ruckus over Lena's abrupt departure broke out and that's how the got the footage of her destroyed office. While the film crew was busy one of her assistants noticed three guys in identical suites leaving his office. as it turns out they were investigators from the regional FBI office. Since then her sources said the FBI is stonewalling any questions as to why they were there ,and it has been impossible to get an interview with Callis. It seemed logical that Leena had something he was desperate for and was not saying, or didn't know she had it.

On the way back he called her. " Lena honey think back. Was there anything you took with you that important to him , maybe so important she was afraid to tell him . Did she know about the FBI ? had they been there before?
The answer to all his questions was an emphatic no.

His next call was to Callis himself . He would have to get it from the horses mouth. Before someone else did.
" We need to meet in private, maybe we can come to an agreement . let's make it lunch at the grill room . make sure your not followed "

 

[Asa]

She had no idea of anything she took that was not hers.

Call us was curious out if he found the special hidden engraving in the rings stone or the tracking device he had put in Lena long ago. No, no one would find that it was a simple little scar behind her ear. Something harmless that didn't leave any signs of it's existence. Perhaps he should check and see where it is right now telling him where she is if in range.

 

[yaturtle]

Jack parked several blocks away and made his way through the neighborhood to avoid any surveillance. He unlocked the side door to the shop turning on lights and calling out "Jacob.....Jacob" . Finally he heard the voice behind him.

"Well Jack nice of you to show up,I was beginning to think you didn't love me anymore.

" very funny Jacob. I would have just called you ,but I don't want any phone records . Beating one accomplice to murder rap was enough for me thank you very much"

"you should have just come to work for us ,these thing are always taken care of"

" look around you Jacob. I have the shop ,I have the bar . It's not much in your fathers eye i know. But i don't want to live on the end of anyone's leash.
Dad could see that and left me alone. I came to tell you the feds are involved. They're watching Callis, Callis is trying to get to Lena, Lena doesn't know why', And neither do I.And now your dad wants him gone. I don't recommend whacking him under their nose. Even dad would tell you that's a bad Idea. I need more time to figure out the endgame here. I set up a lunch meeting with him tomorrow hoping the pressure from the feds closing in on him will get him to tell me more."

 

[Asa]

Terrence was like a father to Jacob. He'll of a lot better than his real one.

Feds... Are you fucking kidding me. First, your girlfriend reminds him of Nadia now the feds...

Jacob grumbled rubbing the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache.

When you jump into deep shot you really just dive right in don't you? Fine where I will be around if not sitting next table over. Don't worry about any muscle he tries to hire the smart ones are more scared of Torrence than Callis.

 

[yaturtle]

Jack noticed Jacob sitting at the bar as he walked past and sat at the last table across from Callis ,out of everyone's earshot.

Callis spoke with his "]usual arrogance " Hope this is good punk,I don't have a lot of time to waste on you. Just send Lena to me and there will be no more trouble .And don't bullshit me either I know she's not on your boat."

Jack let that sink in . How did he know ? Even the feds were watching the boat.
"Funny you should mention that , no time I mean. Let me lay this out for , for a punk I get around. A little birdie tells me the fed's are up your ass and have been for awhile now. Somehow I don't think they're looking for stolen watch's . meantime your still trying to get to Lena.
No your into something big. The feds and at least one other set of bad actors are looking to take you down."
Callis just chewed his food ,jack might as well have been talking about the weather.
"So how about this . You just tell me what you need from Lena. I will get it for you. You get out of dodge . and me and Lena live happily ever after. Whatever your into I want no part of. I can't believe I stumbled onto all your bullshit just because I fell for a woman when she threw away her wedding ring."

That's when he stopped chewing and the color drained from his face.
"what the fuck you mean she threw it away"

 

[Asa]

Oh fuck!!! Was all that was going through his mind listening to this punk. Why in the hell would that bitch throw away the ring? How did she do it? River? Or maybe pawn it or just give it to someone?

Bullshit... She loved that ring. That and the old piece of Junk my dad gave her before he died.

 

[yaturtle]

Oh fuck!!! Was all that was going through his mind listening to this punk. Why in the hell would that bitch throw away the ring? How did she do it? River? Or maybe pawn it or just give it to someone?

Bullshit... She loved that ring. That and the old piece of Junk my dad gave her before he died.[/QUOTE

"You wouldn't cut it as a poker player Callis. Why is the ring so important . I know it was nice but not that nice."


He watched him as he tried to recover and sputtered " it's in heirloom , been in the family for generations extremely valuable ."

"Ya right . and i'm frigging Mary Poppins. Now your wasting my time. Let's face it ,your between a rock and a hard place. Your either going to jail for a long time or some one is going to kill you. I don't need you . even if you could find Lena you can't get to her. All I have to do is keep her there until they get to you. Have a nice day"

" wait wait , You saw where she threw it away. I still got seventy two hours.
get it back for me .... i'll give you ten million for it ,no questions."

Jack froze ...then let let a low whistle. He wanted to walk away...but ten million . He needed time to think . " It's thirty or forty feet down in the mud.
right under the nose of the the feds watching my place. " If you send people to dive for it the feds will be all over you like a cheap suit" and I sure as hell don't want to get caught with it . Let me think on it."

Jack watched callis leave. his mind was racing . He did not in fact see where the ring landed ... but he doubted Lena could have even reached the beach.
Ten million...did he trust Callis? Hell no he had a better idea.

 

[Asa]

Jacob waited till he left and walked over sitting down.

So. How useless was that? She threw the ring off that balcony at the bar, didn't she? That thing could be long gone of the wildlife that like shiny stuff or mud like you said hell even some homeless could have grabbed it. So now what?

 

[yaturtle]

So now nothing. all I have to do is take a peak around to see if it's there.
If it is I will arrange a drop in exchange for my money. That I doubt he will actually pay. The feds will be waiting for him when he gets it. If it's not there the people he owes will take him out or he will sing to feds to keep himself alive.
So he ends up dead or in jail no matter what, and you don't even have to get your hands dirty. I will have a look and let you know.

 

[Asa]

How did he know she wasn't on the boat?

Jacob may have been an exceptional killer but he was not without the brains to back it up.

And would he be stupid enough to have someone en route to go get her?

Jacob chuckled at that thought

 

[yaturtle]

He didn't say and that is a disturbing thought. But he would be an idiot to send anyone while I might be in possession of the ring. But it wouldn't hurt to put Izzy on high alert just in case. We don't know who's pushing his buttons or what they might be capable of.

Mike unlocked the door to the bar and took the mail in when he spotted jack
looking around outside . So he went to find out what was going on.

"it's a little late for earthworms and they're lousy salt water bait anyway.
What are you doing"

"Looking for Lena's ring ,turns out we may have a use for it after all."

" shit !! I forgot to tell you. I wasn't sure how things were going to between you two . So i went out and picked it up when you left. It didn't get nearly this far anyway . She does throw like a girl you know. I have it behind the bar in an envelope for you"

Jack glanced over mike's shoulder at the sunglasses staring at him from the unmarked car across the road. " head back inside ... I don't want anyone watching us to think we found anything"

Jack continued searching the yard for another ten minutes making it clear to the unmarked he had not found anything. back inside mike put his beer on the bar with his usual pile of paperwork ....Business as usual. The envelope was in it. "Mike no matter what happens or who comes looking you know nothing about the ring ."

He took the deposits , gulped down his beer ,and walked for the shop where Jacob was hiding . It still looked like business as usual.