Caught in the Devil's Sheets (10 page)

I SEE YOUR HIDING OUT

YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM ME

TELL JAIME HE CAN’T

HIDE EITHER.

_
SERGIO

Is he fucking kidding me? It dawns on me that Sergio probably has something to do with why Jaime is in the hospital. I’m really irritated that Jaime never let me in on whatever is going on between them.

I fold the note and place it in my purse. My head is still spinning from last night’s drinks as I drive down the street and onto the main road. I have to tell Rick about Sergio. Maybe he’ll even have some answers. At the least he needs to know that Sergio may have put Jaime in the hospital. Do I need to call Odin and cancel tomorrow? I need to know what the situation is first.
Is Jaime dying?
It’s extremely fucked up, but I don’t know how I feel about Jaime dying. I would never wish Jaime dead, but I’m just not as freaked out right now as I had expected I’d be when I got this call. In fact, I don’t even have an inclination to cry.

I almost run a red light when I realize I’m running on adrenaline. I finally make it to the hospital. I call Rick as I head inside. “I’m here. What room are we in?”

“Room 712 on the 3
rd
floor,” I repeat the words back to him. I can’t hear anything in the background other than beeping. I hang up as I’m getting on the elevator. The doors open and I look for the room signs on the wall. I follow them down a curved hallway. Jeff is outside the room and he reaches an arm out to hug me.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Think he went down on his bike. Some people found him on the side of Creek Road early this morning. Looked like he’d been there since late last night,” Jeff says.

It doesn’t explain why he didn’t answer my calls all day yesterday.

“Was he drunk?” Jeff asks, looking at me.

“I don’t know. I wasn’t with him yesterday.” I do know he had snorted enough coke yesterday morning to forget the mirror lying out on my bathroom sink.

Jeff steps aside and I walk into the room. Jaime is sleeping in a bed and he looks pretty beat up. There are no tubes or wires connected to his face and he is breathing on his own. Rick stands up from the bedside chair and gives me a big hug. I’ve never seen Rick look so worried.

“Sorry to have to call you here, honey,” he apologizes. “The doctor says he’s in a coma and hasn’t been responsive since they picked him up. But they think he’ll wake up within 48 hours.”

“I hope they’re right. Do we know if this was an accident?” I ask quietly.

“Jaime’s been riding bikes since he was 8-years old. I’ve never seen him go down. The only way I can think he might have made this big a mistake is if he was falling over drunk or if someone hit him.” Rick is looking at me, and I can tell he’s looking to me for an answer.

“I wasn’t with him yesterday. I kept calling him but he didn’t answer. He’s been on a bit of a coke binge lately.” I don’t usually say it so casually, but I think right now, Rick needs to know all the facts.

He shakes his head, implying he either knew or had guessed.

“That’s not all.” I glance around making it obvious that what I need to tell him is private. He sits me down in the corner chair by the window and tells Jeff to watch the door.

“Sergio, from the Kings stopped by our house yesterday. He was looking for Jaime. He invited himself in and made it pretty clear he was trying hard to locate him. I went to Kelli’s after that and I stayed there. When I got up today this was on my windshield,” I say, fishing the note from my purse.

Rick reads it over then fixes his eyes back on me.

“Do you know why Sergio is trying to get a hold of Jaime?” he asks in a way that warns I dare not lie.

“No. Sergio and Jaime have gotten together at our house four times now. They usually go in the garage and talk. Jaime never told me what about. Sergio was always really rude to me and after how Sergio acted yesterday, I have a feeling Jaime owes him something, but I couldn’t say for sure.” That’s everything I know and my personal opinion. I’m disappointed. I was really hoping Rick might know more.

“I need to make a few phone calls,” he says standing.

“I’ll be here,” I say, as he excuses himself.

Jeff is still posted outside the door. I see Rick lean over and whisper something in his ear. Jeff nods as Rick walks away.

I stare down at Jaime.
You look like shit. Why didn’t you answer my calls? What the hell is going on between you and Sergio? And what the hell happened to you last night?
I’m tapping my foot, brooding about how little answers I have. It seems like eternity passes. Rick hasn’t come back yet.

A nurse comes in and checks Jaime’s pulse and intravenously administers more painkillers. She gives me a little update and tells me if I need anything to call her. My phone buzzes in my purse and I pull it out. It’s just Kelli asking me how my day is going. I explain where I am and what the situation is over a dozen texts.

In the evening, Jaime’s older sister Angela shows up to visit. Angela reminds me of Kim Kardashian, way too much make up and a perfectly built figure that leaves every man staring as she walks by. Not to mention, she’s a total bitch! She’s wearing a tight blue sweater dress that hugs her thighs. Underneath she is wearing black see-through stockings and black heels. Her big hoop earrings almost touch her shoulders and her hair and makeup look like she just walked off the set of the real housewives.

She gives me her usual scowl, and walks right past me to bend over Jaime. She kisses him on the forehead, muttering something in Spanish. I roll my eyes behind her back. For whatever reason I will never understand, Angela has always hated me. I think she’s mad because Jaime married me and I’m not Mexican. Angela’s parents were both 100% Mexican, but her mom got with Rick later in life and had Jaime and Erica. Angela is really stuck on her Latina roots.

“While you’re here, I’m gonna go get some air,” I say, to which she ignores me.

Jeff gives me a ‘wow-what-a-bitch’ look and I smile nodding at him as I head out. I’m pleased to find Rick walking toward the entrance as I step outside. He stops to talk to me and pulls a cigarette from his pocket offering me one. I shake my head.

“That’s right. I always forget you don’t smoke,” he says, lighting his own cigarette. “No one I talked to seems to know anything about Jaime having an arrangement with Sergio. I have a few ins with the Kings, gonna see what they can find out without kicking up any dust.”

Great, so no news
. I take a deep breath.

“I’ll make sure someone stays here with him, doll. You don’t have to stay here all night.”

“I’m supposed to be heading to Houston in the morning,” I tell him, although I’ve been contemplating canceling. Rick is looking at me confused. “Jaime and I usually cover Houston.” I jog his memory.

“You’re not going out without Jaime?” He seems concerned.

“Odin’s been riding along with me.” I’m surprised Rick doesn’t already know.

“What?” He is scowling at me. “Jaime set us up. He hasn’t been running since he’s out on bail,” I inform Rick, and I can’t hide the surprise in my voice that Jaime hasn’t told his dad.

“Jaime set you and Odin up running together?” Rick asks, as if he doesn’t believe me.

“Yes.”
Is it that hard to believe?

Rick shakes his head, clearly not knowing what to think. “You think that’s a good idea?” He eyes me skeptically.

I shrug. “Like I said, Jaime set it up. I just do what he asks.” Not that well apparently. “Odin’s not bad,” I say on the upside.

“There’s a lot Jaime doesn’t know about Odin. I really wish you wouldn’t run with him. Take Jeff if you want to. Odin can be dangerous.” Rick’s voice is full of warning.

“Why?” I have to ask, but I can’t imagine he’s going to tell me.

“Old history, doll.”

If it involves killing or other illegal activity, it’s ‘Old History’. I sigh, exasperated. My husband, the coke addict, is lying in a coma and no one knows if he was just high or run down by the Kings. Sergio is stalking me, and threatening me. And my new friend, Odin, whom I’ve recently been traveling across the country with compliments of my husband, is dangerous for reasons that have been locked away in the scrolls of ‘old history’. All the orange juice in the world couldn’t have prepared me for today.

“Trust me,” Rick says. “Take Jeff.”

“I can’t just cut Odin out like that and not even tell him why.”

“Tell him your old man said he prefers you run with Jeff. You can blame me.” Rick says, and I roll my eyes.

“Okay,” I agree, not wanting to argue about it with him.

I head back toward the parking lot to my car. I realize I have been looking forward to getting in the car with Odin since we hung out on the beach. Leaving without him would be a disappointment. I can’t imagine that he would hurt me. Although, I don’t know him as well as I would like to.

To be truthful, you never know what people are capable of. I never thought that Jaime would hit me, or deceive me, but he did. I never thought my mom would abandon me and ship me off to Christian school, but she did. I never thought Billy would shoot my school counselor and spend 25 to life in prison, but he did.

I plop in my driver seat, happy that there are no notes on my windshield, and I melt into my seat for a while staring out at the sunset. I pull my phone out of my purse and send Odin a text {Hey}- Lila.

There are three blinking bubbles on his response side of the chat screen as he texts me back. {Hey I heard Jaime got into an accident. You run him off the road?}–Odin

{Haha no. But between you and me someone might have} - Lila. In my gut I know I shouldn’t be sharing this with Odin.

{We still on for tomorrow?}- Odin.

I contemplate this a while. I want to be on for tomorrow. {I dunno, my father in law seems to think I shouldn’t be running with you. Says you’re dangerous…}-Lila. Rick did say I could blame him.

{Did he now? And what do you think?}-Odin.

{I think there’s definitely something you’re not telling me.}-Lila

{Do you think I would hurt you?}-Odin.

I ponder this a while. {No}-Lila. But then all my previous thoughts still apply.

{So I will see you tomorrow then?}- Odin.

The truth is I want to see him. I am excited to get in the car and leave this mess behind me. I need to get away with someone who’s carefree and sees things from my point of view. I could always just hit Vegas with Kelli. The thought sounds good actually, but I have work to do. Chuck and Crystal are expecting us. I wouldn’t want to weird them out by bringing another newcomer.

{Yeah. Club house at 5? I’ll get a car.}-Lila

{Looking forward to it}-Odin. Right now the only difference between Odin and me, is that he is willing to admit it.

I turn the car on and there’s a smile on my face as I push my phone back into my purse. I head to the car lot to rent a car, knowing they’ll be closed in the morning. Geoff is standing behind the counter and he smiles at me when I walk in. “What will it be this time, Mrs. Mosley?” he asks cheerfully.

I glance down the list of cars on special right now and decide on a Hyundai sedan in mute blue.

“All set,” he adds, handing me the keys.

When I get home, I’m glad to find that Erica and the kids are inside. The lights are on and there seems to be no signs of Sergio. I hang out in the living room with the family for a while, telling Erica all about Jaime and his accident. I make us all some dinner. If Jaime and I don’t make it, I sure will miss being friends with Erica. Is it crazy to think we still might be friends if I leave her brother?
Yes
.

I throw some things together in my purple suitcase and set it by the door. I shower, then throw on some yoga pants and a wife beater. After smoking a bowl and tucking the pipe into my night stand, I fall into my pillow. I’m aware that the other side of the bed is empty, and it’s a feeling I’m slowly getting used to. After a few moments I drift to sleep. It feels like no time before my alarm goes off. 4:20 a.m. Rise and shine.

Chapter 9
Trip Four, Houston

I pick Odin up from the club house at five. He throws the hot bags and all the decoy bags into the trunk of the Hyundai sedan, then comes around to the passenger door and ducks in.

“Morning,” I say, handing him a to-go mug full of coffee from my house.

“Excellent.” He smiles, as he takes the mug from my hand.

“There’s more.” I gesture to a furnace behind the center console. “Compliments of my kitchen.” Since nowhere else is open yet.

“Tastes great. Thanks.” It’s still dark out, except for the street lights that illuminate our way toward the freeway. “How’s Jaime?” he asks as we reach the on ramp.

“They expect him to wake up today or tomorrow. He’s breathing on his own, suffering from a head wound.”

“Heard that they think he was drinking.”

I wonder where he heard that. I shrug. “Might have been.”

“You have a theory?” Odin’s seat is all the way back and he’s shifted so that he is facing me.

“What I have is
just
a theory,” I warn before I put in my two cents.

“Well, let’s hear it.”

“Promise you won’t say anything?”

“Of course.”

I’m breaking a cardinal rule here, but I’m desperate for answers, and Odin might know something. “There’s this guy, Sergio Velasquez, he rides with the Kings. I think he had something to do with it.”

“What makes you think that?”

“He came to our house Wednesday and he was less then polite about trying to find Jaime. He went so far as to threaten me.”

“He threatened you?” Odin raises his voice in disbelief.

“I told him to get the fuck out. Then I went and spent the night at Kelli’s. Sergio must have followed me there because when I left the next day, there was a note on my car. It said you can’t hide from me and neither can Jaime.”

“You’re shitting me!” Odin sounds pissed.

I shake my head no, keeping my eyes fixed on the road, and I notice my grip on the wheel has tightened. I try to relax.

“Maybe I need to go give that fucking wetback a lesson in manners. What kind of bitch threatens a woman anyway?” Odin’s voice is low, and angry.

“I think Jaime and him have some sort of business going on, but I have no idea what it is. Neither does Rick, but I’m pretty sure whatever it is, no one is supposed to know. Then there’s a good chance Jaime was just high and crashed his bike. No one will know till he wakes up and can shed some light on the subject,” I say, and I feel like Nancy Drew, trying to put all the puzzle pieces together.

“Of course Jaime would get into some shady business with the Kings,” Odin says like it doesn’t surprise him in the slightest. “And only Jaime would let his wife take the heat for it.”

I cringe at his words. I can’t really argue in Jaime’s defense. It’s just like him to bring this shit down on us.

It’s quiet as the sun rises, and it is beautiful coming over the Rockies. I fish my sunglasses out.

“Pour me another cup?” I ask, shaking my mug in my hand.

“Any news with Jaime’s court case?” Odin asks, filling my mug.

“Not really. Rick is getting a hold of the lawyer today to see what this accident will mean as far as our next court date.”

“What are you going to do if he gets locked up?”

I take a deep breath. There’s the question of the hour. What the hell am I going to do?

“I have no idea,” I say, raising my shoulders.

“If he gets hard time, are you gonna bail?”

Jeez!
That’s personal. “Did someone put you up to asking me that?” I accuse.

“What? Of course not! It’s just a question. Anything said between you and me in this car is nobody’s business, Lila. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but you
can
trust me,” he says it so sincerely, that I believe him.

Maybe I’m being naïve, or I’m just mentally weak right now, but I do. I believe that I can trust Odin, that’s why I told him about Sergio. Rick’s words about him play through my head.
Odin can be dangerous.
What was he talking about? Maybe if I tell Odin more about me, he’ll open up about himself. I think of the perfect place to start.

“It won’t be the first time I lose someone to long arm of the law.” As planned, I catch his attention.

“Who was the first?” he asks.

Now for the more difficult part, choosing what details I really want to tell him. “The boy from school that I ran away with. We didn’t really get very far. He was wanted for murder.”

“You ran away with a murderer?” Odin repeats, annoyed at my stupidity.

“He shot our school counselor, John Church,” I say, as if this somehow explains everything.

“Oh? Just the counselor,” he says sarcastically, like that’s any better.

Maybe it’s still too early to be thinking straight, or perhaps I just feel comfortable telling him, but I own up to the part I don’t usually admit.

“Church raped me. That’s why my mom let me come back home.” I’ve talked about it with Dr. Burkhart, my therapist, and she agrees it’s healthy not to hoard the secret like it’s something I did wrong. But I also don’t want to flaunt it to everyone and make myself a perpetual victim.

“I’m so sorry, Lila.” Odin actually sounds a little choked up, and it’s sweet. “Did the counselor die?”

“Oh, yeah. Billy shot him in the face.”

“Billy?” Odin repeats.

“Billy Jay.”

I can’t speak his name without the memory that follows. As the car is quiet for the moment my thoughts drift back to being 14. I was lonely and angry. Angry because my mom had abandoned me, leaving me completely alone. No one understood me or where I was coming from. I thought there was no other 14-year old in the world as angry and fucked up as me.

But then, there was Billy, whose parents had done the same thing to him. Divorced and sent him away to Christian school. He became my best friend. Then he was my first kiss, the first boy to hold my hand, tell me I was pretty, and the very first person to ever love me for who I was. It was a warm and welcome feeling, being wanted and loved. I was helplessly sucked into him. But it was no story book romance. Billy was in love with me and although I loved him, I wasn’t in love with him. My eyes were always set on some other asshole. But Billy never stopped loving me, and I went through lengths to keep it that way, dragging him right through all my bullshit. A decision I will never forgive myself for.

When John Church, the counselor, began molesting me, I knew there wasn’t much I could do about it. I didn’t think my teachers would believe me, not that I had the balls to try. I knew if my mom believed me, she’d rip me out of school and I’d lose Billy, and all my friends. I thought my life would be over. In a lot of ways I blamed myself for what Church did. Looking back now, I couldn’t have been more stupid. I should have dropped the whole mess before it got so out of hand.

“Is Billy still in jail?” Odin asks, breaking the silence and my inner reverie.

“Up for parole in 2033.”

“Do you keep in contact with him?”

We’ve come to one of the details I’d rather not get into.

“Let me guess… you do, but Jaime doesn’t know.”

Wow, he really hit the nail right on the head. Seeing the look on my face confirms his theory. “How do you hide the jail mail from Jaime?”

“I have a PO Box,” I admit, blushing a little.

“Ooooh, sneaky!” Odin jokes, insinuating that a PO Box is hardly some big secret.

But the truth is Billy quit writing me about eight months ago. I sent him a few letters before I realized he wasn’t going to write me back. Out of hurt, I wrote him a last letter, telling him I would quit bugging him. But I kept my PO Box, in hopes that he’ll have some change of heart. Of all the sorrows weighing on my heart right now, this is the one I just can’t bear. I have to push past it.

“What about you?” This is my chance to get in. “What kind of old secrets do you keep buried?”

He shakes his head implying nothing.

“Bullshit!” I call him out. “I think there is way more to your Louisiana back story then what you’re telling me.”

He looks at me and his gaze is cold and nervous.

“Come on, I just told you everything about Wyoming. My first love shot my perverted school counselor in the face and I hide his jail mail from my husband—”

“You never said you loved him,” Odin interrupts.

“Well, I did,” I say matter-of-factly.

“That changes the whole story.”

“It does not, and don’t change the subject. Spill the beans!” I’m being pushy, but I can tell it’s working.

He takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his hair, which is now glistening in the Arizona sun. He takes a few gulps of coffee, and I know that he’s stalling. I guess that he’s editing the details in his head like I did.

“My dad wasn’t just kicked out of the club. He was caught engaging in some shameful illegal activities and they killed him. I helped them dump the body in the swamp and I watched as my dad became food for alligators.”

Don’t gape, I remind myself. “I’m sorry you had to be part of that.” My voice is soft and filled with sympathy.

“I’m not. My old man was the Devil, Lila.” There is a haunting tone in his voice.

I cast a glance at his face and his expression looks as though he has seen the Devil himself. I wonder what his old man did, but I’m sure if he wanted me to know he would tell me. The air in the car is suddenly very dense. I feel the need to lighten the mood.

“Is this the part where I hold your hand?” I ask sarcastically.

“Only if you want to,” he says smiling, and I can feel his eyes on me.

Shit!
I was not expecting that. Should I?
No! Of course not!
I’m married! But I can’t deny a part of me wants to.
Do it!
My inner teenager, who’s been starved of attention lately screams at me. But Reason stands strong shaking her mother-like head.

“I need a pit stop,” I say, quickly changing the subject.

“Okay.”

I exit on the highway and pull into a Denny’s. “Breakfast?” I ask although really I guess it’s lunch time.

“Sure.”

Once inside, I make my way immediately to the bathroom and am relieved that it’s completely empty. Alone in my stall, my mind goes wild as Reason, Desire, Truth, and Rebellious Teenager all voice their opinions of Odin loudly in my head. I can’t decide whether to be happy or frustrated, but mostly I’m just confused.

I finish up in the stall and stand at the sink. I take a good long look at myself in the mirror. It’s not that I don’t want to hold his hand, I’m just scared. I’m afraid to have feelings for someone I can never be with.

We can never be together. First, he is way too good looking for me, but more so I’m married to a different member of the club. Even if he was serious about his advances, we could never date! None of our friends would respect us and I’d be looked at like a whore by everyone. A whore that caused a bunch of internal problems by cheating on her old man. Plus, he’s made it more than clear he’s not interested in anything other than sex.

Just sex could be nice,
Desire chimes in.

No!
Reason has her battle sword out and she’s not having any of it.
If you sleep with him, he will never respect you. No man respects a woman who cheats. And if anyone else finds out, you’ll lose their respect too.

She’s right, as usual. I sigh, and head out to the dining room.

Odin is the tallest head in the line of booths, and his blue eyes catch mine immediately. I toss my purse into the booth across from him and take a seat. He says nothing, as we each study our menus. I order pancakes and an iced tea, and he has the country fried steak and eggs.

It’s terribly quiet as we await our food. I take the time to check my phone and there is a text from Rick. {Where are you?}-Rick

{On the road}-Lila.

I also have an email from our lawyer, James Devine.

I wanted to get back to you about Jaime’s case. Since the tox. screen came back negative for alcohol, I feel we can use his current condition to win us sympathy from the jurors. If it is possible for him to make his court hearing next Friday, I think we should try to keep that date. However poor his condition the better. If he isn’t released from the hospital yet, then I will move to postpone. Will need his hospital file for the judge in that case. We’ll be in touch.

James Devine

Attorney at Law

Devine and Conquest Law Firm

Using his accident to sway a jury seems cheap, but I will take it. My phone buzzes in my hand. {With who?}-Rick.

I bite my lip. I really don’t want to answer him.

“Everything okay?” Odin asks when he notices me grimace at my phone.

“Yeah.” I smile.

{Odin, I trust him}-Lila.

The waitress comes out with our food, and I put my phone back into my purse. I glance around the diner and the feeling of exhaustion due to over-traveling grips me. All these unfamiliar faces. It’s all the same, from the overplayed Taylor Swift song on the radio, to the cheap diner pancakes. I can see the traffic on the interstate from our booth.
How long is this going to be my life?
Suddenly, I’ve lost my appetite for cheap pancakes. I push my plate away and take a few large drinks of my iced tea.

“You sure you’re okay?” Odin asks sensing my mood.

“I’m fine,” I say with a smile, as convincing as I can be. But really, I have no idea. I fish around for my wallet in my purse.

“I got this,” Odin says, frowning at my wallet.

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Thanks. I’m gonna get a little fresh air before we hit the trail,” I say, excusing myself from the booth. I feel his eyes on me as I exit the door. I walk the long way around the parking lot, stretching my legs.

When I get to the car, I set my purse on the hood and pull out my phone. {Your call. Be safe, watch your back}-Rick.

What does he know?
Curiosity is eating at me.

“Ready?” Odin startles me, and I jump in my skin. He has a big amused smile on his face, a smile that lights up his whole face and mine, as his blue eyes glow in the afternoon sun.