Schism

Chapter 18 part 2

Harold couldn't answer.  He looked down at the fire bombs in the box at his feet.  Any one of them would fill the room with bright red and orange light…beautiful, strong light.

"What's going on, Harold?"

Under Jared's full attention, Harold realized his mistake.  He had simply wanted the two of them to go, but he should have known better.  Jared would have left in his own time, and now he wouldn't until Harold told him more.  Jared wouldn't leave until he knew about the detective, and knew who he was talking to.

With his slip-up, he'd put Jessica in danger.  It was his fault.  It didn't matter how dangerous that detective was, how close he might be to finding Harold, close to taking everything from Harold yet again.  What mattered was finding a way to keep Jared from knowing about Jessica.

"Nothing,” he said, but could tell it was a wasted effort.

He felt his own body want to inch away as Jared leaned closer.  "What is it, Harold?  It's important, isn't it?"  At a wave from the man's hand, Nadine rose from the bed and crossed to the door.

"Police."

Harold waited, started to breathe faster as Jared sat and stared at him.  "Here?  Now?"

"No...no.  Just one, snooping around.  Bryan Mickelson." Harold said

"You know him?"

That was another misstep.  He thought for a moment about showing Jared what the real fire was like, but knew that he couldn’t.  If he did that at the apartment he’d have to run, find a new place to live, and then he wouldn’t be near Jessica.  "I...no...he...he doesn't know me.  Hasn't seen me."

He had to wait again before Jared spoke.

"So how do you know he's snooping around?" Jared asked.

 “Uh…I saw him?”

“And what did you see him doing, Harold?” Jared asked. 

There was the trap.  Harold knew he couldn't lie or bluff his way out of it, not with Jared.  "He was…talking to her.  Jessica Moore.”

The man stared down at him, his face was calm, and when he spoke his voice was quiet.  But Harold felt like he was being prodded with a knife with every word.  “What else, Harold?  Tell me, please.”

  “She said...said to let her know if I saw anyone around the building.  That Mickelson was looking for someone."

"Jessica Moore.  She's a tenant here?" Jared asked.

Harold nodded, wished he could stop speaking altogether.

Jared pressed on.  "What did you tell her, Harold?"

"Nothing.  That I would let her know."

Jared pulled a few of the bills off the stack, set them on the bench.  "I think you're right.  It is time for me to go."  He set the lid on the box and gently picked it up.  "I want you to tell me anything she says, or anything else you find out about this detective.  All right, Harold?  You'd do that for a friend?"

Harold knew they weren't his friends.  Harold knew he didn't have any.

"Yes...yes," he said.

He watched Jared nod at Nadine, who opened the door.  They both left.

Harold sat, tried to organize his thoughts.  Jared would go after Jess.  He'd go after Mickelson and Jess.  When he did, Harold could do very little to stop it.  He could do some things, things that Jared didn't know about, but where, when?  And could he start a fire that would stop Jared without hurting Jessica?

The thought turned his eyes to the giraffe.  The detective had taken the other stuffed animals from Jessica’s apartment.  And then he realized how he could save Jess and get rid of the detective.  This time it would work.  And with the detective gone, Jared would have no reason to kill Jess.  Harold would have saved her.

He snatched the giraffe and held it in his lap.

*

(Author’s note: Oh, boy…oh, boy…no mayhem in this chapter, but a whole lot of crazy coming down, along with some major, major hints for you.  So, before I let any big spoilers slip, I’ll say thank you for reading and for the comments and likes!  Please stay in touch!  And…be sure to check out my website www.bruce-elgin.com for links to the podcast and other sites.  Talk to you all soon!)