Duskwood Mysteries

Part 59

6 months ago, in the hospital, Jade's POV
I was in my hospital bed, Richy was here, but my mind was worrying about Jake. Was he fine? Did he get away safely? Could I text him now? Would that be fine? My thoughts were interrupted when a doctor walked in and Richy asked if I wanted anything. "Anything?" I asked. "Yup anything. I can just run to the store and get it. Or maybe I will just ask Johnson to get it. I am sure you are starving, plus Dr Reign said you can eat whatever you want, right, Dr. Fawkes?" he said smirking at the doctor. The doctor nodded. "Salted caramel milkshake," I said sheepishly. "You got it." He said walking out.
I relaxed in my bed as I heard Richy's footsteps fade away. I turned to the doctor, "Dr. Fawkes? Could you be any more obvious?" The doctor removed his mask, walked over to my bed and hugged me, "You scared the hell out of me Jade." "Shouldn't you be somewhere across the ocean right about now?" I asked. "Nope I am right where I need to be." Jake said. I winced, the pain getting slightly unbearable. "Hey, is it hurting a lot?" he asked. "It is but I think I can manage it, now that you are here" I said smiling at him. And emotionally I did feel better.
"That doesn't make me feel any better Jade. Please don't be coy with me," he grumbled. "Fine it hurts a lot," I said. He sighed, "I should have not let you go with Richy." "Jake can we not please? Not right now," I said. "Okay," he said resting his hand on mine. "I heard that Johnson is briefing you guys in the evening?" "Yup, and I know what you are thinking, but please please don't snoop into that. Promise me that," I pleaded. "Alright, only if you tell me what happened with Luke, right now," he said. "That's not fair," I said. "Its either this or that," he said. I thought for a moment. Maybe telling him now was better than him being in some corner of the world listening in. Atleast this way I could gauge him. I wouldn't know how he would react, but I had to take the chance. So, I told him, everything in excruciating detail. He listened to me, with a poker face. After I finished, he pulled me in a hug, "I am so sorry you had to go through that." Even though, recounting the attack made me uncomfortable, his hug made me feel better. He pulled away and stood up, "I need to go but I will be back soon." I grabbed his hand, "Jake, I know that tone very well. Sit down please," I pleaded. He sighed, "Don't do that, Jade. I can't stay here a minute longer knowing that, that psycho is sitting cozily in a cell waiting to get away with it." "Who said he is going to get away with it? You need to have faith in the system," I said. "The same one that failed Jennifer, Hannah, Amy, you and the other women?" he snapped. "Jake, he won't get away with this. Johnson will make sure of that, plus I think there is enough evidence to convict him," I said.
"I am pretty sure Johnson can find a million ways to get him out as a defense lawyer. Ask him Jade. I am sure there are ways Luke will not be convicted," he said sharply. I gulped, "That is a risk with everything, and what were you planning to do anyway?" He opened his mouth when I shut him off, "Don't answer that. I don't want to know because you are not going to do anything." "Jade.." he starts. "This discussion is over Jake. You are staying put or going to a safe place and not getting anywhere close to this case or Luke," I said stubbornly. He narrows his eyes in anger. "Please?" I said. He growled, "Fine Jade. But this is the last time you use the "please" clause." "Sure it is," I said smiling at him. "Anyways. I really have to go before someone realizes that I am not one of the doctors," he said scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, maybe get a better disguise the next time?" I teased. He bends down and kisses me, "I will keep in touch. Take care of yourself, please." "Alright. You stay safe Jake," I said happily. He wears his mask, and he leaves.
After Richy comes back with my milkshake, I fill him in on Jake visiting me. "I'll be damned. I told you the son of a bitch would be around. How did I miss that it was him?" he said thoughtfully. "I just hope he doesn't get caught," I said. "Please. The guy is practically invisible," he muttered. A few days later I was discharged and since the trial was coming up in a few weeks, I had to stay in Duskwood. Richy said I could stay with him for obvious reasons. Johnson had already sent a bag of my stuff to Richy's home. Plus, I was set to meet a therapist in Duskwood itself. Dr. Ulric Barrett. Richy and I was driving to his place. "When is your next session?" he asked. "Tomorrow afternoon. I'm dreading it. It feels stupid," I said. "Well I hope it helps," he said. We reached his home, got our stuff and I opened the door and immediately dropped my bag out of shock. "Jeez, Jake. You have got to stop doing that," I squealed. "Sorry I didn't know how to let you guys know I was stopping by," he said sheepishly. Richy came rushing in, "What.. what happened?" He paused and looked at Jake, "Oh its you. How did you get in?" "Spare key below the door mat," Jake responded. "Sweet," Richy said and continued to put the bags away as if it was routine to find people in his home out of the blue. "Oh, by the way I got you upgraded," he said pointing to Richy's entertainment unit. "How did you get that? Its ungettable," Richy said. "I am surprised you are even asking me that," Jake said. Richy literally dropped whatever he was holding on the floor, "Is it the digital console?" "Nope the standard one," Jake said. "Noice," Richy said admiring the console.
Jake looked at me, "How are you?" "Are you the one causing low influx of the playstation consoles?" I asked. "Of course not. I asked how you were?" he mumbled. "I am fine," I said hugging him. "That's good," Jake said. "Uggh, do you guys need a room to get cozy or something?" Richy groaned. "Not really. But I would like to know why that person walking around your house?" Jake said pointing outside the window. Richy looked, "He is the postman. Big deal. Must be delivering something. God you are so paranoid." "At 9 pm? And is he the regular postman? Because I saw him in the hospital as well posing as a janitor," Jake said. "What? Is he following you?" I said in a shock. "I doubt it. He followed your car here Richy," Jake said. "Why would he follow me?" Richy asked. "Not you. Jade," Jake remarked. "Why would that be?" I asked. Jake shrugged, "You are planning to testify against a police chief's son. I am pretty sure they would keep an eye on you. The question is however whose side is he on?"
"Great now we have a stalker. That's all I needed now," I said collapsing on the couch. Richy's phone buzzed, "Crap I need to stop by my parents' home. You guys ok by yourself?" "Yup we'll be fine," Jake responded. The headache was back. My head throbbing like a clock as I heard Richy leave the house. Jake sat on the couch and pulled me in his arms, "Headache?" "Yes. What gave me away?" I asked. "Pinching your forehead, rubbing your temples. Need I say more?" he asked. "Nope I get it. You are omniscient," I joked. "I think you mean intuitive," Jake said. I nodded finding comfort in his embrace. "I need to tell you something," Jake said. I groaned, "Okay what's the nuclear bomb you are going to drop on me today?" he narrowed his eyes, "Do I do that?" "Well anything that follows the statement, 'I need to tell you something', isn't always good," I responded. "Fair enough. But trust me its not as bad as it seems. So that night was like the worst night of my life. Because at that time I really couldn't do what I really wanted to do. Stay by your side. And this whole sneaking around and looking over the shoulder shenanigan is just becoming too much. When I left my other "job", I thought I just had to get out and go far away and be invisible. And I was okay with it. However, I am seeing things in a new perspective now. I was just surviving, existing, but I want to live as a free person. I want to be with you without thinking about someone finding me every 10 seconds. How does that sound?" he asked. "Ok Jake you are freaking me out. It seems like you are giving me a bomb wrapped in a good wrapping paper," I said nervously. He chuckled, "Ok getting to the point. I think I need to go back to my mentor and bury the hatchet for good. Do it face to face. Call for a truce and tell him to leave me alone." I stared at him, "And based on what you have told me about him, he would be willing to do that with open arms, that he will use to choke the life out of you." My voice was dripping with sarcasm. He rolled his eyes, "When I joined his collective, I did so because I wanted to have people, I could call my own. I may have made a lot of enemies, but my mentor is someone who really appreciates me. I do have leverage on him, he doesn't want me dead. If he did, I would already be dead. He just doesn't like the fact that someone has a sword over him. All I have to do is prove that I don't mean to use it unless necessary and all he has to do is let me go as a sign of good faith." "And you think that's going to work?" I asked. "Well, I will ask him nicely first and if that doesn't work, I may have to get a bit more creative," he said. "I don't even want to know what that means. Can I say something though?" I asked. "Sure." "Don't do it. Its like walking into a lion's den. I think we can manage the way things are. Once the trial is over, we can move. I've heard that only penguins are in Antarctica. It's a little chilly but its manageable," I said only half joking. He laughed, "Well penguins do look great but again, I don't want to live on the run. Wait a minute, you really don't want me to go?" "No kidding. I don't want you to pull a, how do I say this nicely, a certain vampire leaving his girlfriend in a book that shall not be named, on me," I said, immediately regretting the reference. "Okay I am going to ignore your choice of reference because I like you. But this is the last time. And trust me, it is going to be fine. I have it planned really well. I have help. I just want you to play your part well," he said.
"I have a part?" "Yes. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that the stalker outside could be someone trying to find me through you, so its best to show that you are not with me. You and Richy still have to pretend to be together," he said. "No way. I am not doing that to him, Jake. No way," I said standing up getting extremely annoyed. "He already agreed. Look its just temporary. Few months tops. I just need them to keep a distance from you. That's all," he said. I was fuming. This was the worst thing I could do. "Jade, please.." "The answer is no Jake, and it will always be no." He sighed, "He told you didn't he? That he is in love with you?" "You know that and still you want him to do this?" "It is hard for me too you know. But it is the best option." Just then Richy walked in and looked at both of us, "What? This is my home last I checked." "When were you going to tell me about this?" I asked. Richy looked confused and turned to see Jake and then back at me, "Is this about being the fake boyfriend?" "Why did you say yes to this?" I asked. "Because I want to help you guys," Richy said as a matter of fact. "And you did it behind my back," I snapped at Jake. "I didn't do it behind your back. I just wanted to know what he feels about it before telling it to you," he replied. "And I am okay with it. Its not a big deal. Everyone thinks we are dating anyways," Richy said. "This is not right," I said. "Jade, you are dating a hacker who has probably done a million illegal things. We have stolen from a police investigation, lied to the cops and will be lying under oath. It's a little too late for right and wrong. And if that's not enough, we take a vote. As you see its still two to one," Richy said. I groaned, "I still don't agree with this." "I get it. But its just for some time," Jake said. His face showed that he was unsure as well but again it was the best choice. "Alright only because I have to," I said knowing I couldn't fight them on this.