Hiding Out (29 page)

Haley exhaled and leaned back.  She surveyed the room for an indication of how persuasive she had been.  Based on their faces and their body language, she was confident that there would be a case and that Chase would have to answer for all of his actions.

“This is going to be tricky,” the DA said honestly.  “Your attacker comes from a powerful family.  No doubt that played a part in your hesitation to prosecute from the beginning?” 

Haley nodded.

“Still, I feel confident the case is solid.  We’ll invite him in for questioning.  We’ll subpoena his DNA.  And we’ll make sure he’s punished for what he’s done to you.”  The DA stood to show that the meeting had concluded.

Haley stuck out her hand to shake.  “Thank you for listening.  Can I just tell you how much I appreciate your efforts in advance?”

She left the DAs office feeling like a heavy burden had been lifted.  In a perfect world she’d have Sam to share this moment with.  He would have given her reassuring squeezes during the meeting with the DA.  He would have hugged her tightly after they were all done.  And he would have wanted tonight to be special to take her mind off of everything.  All she wanted was to talk to him, to apologize for her part in Adam’s injuries.  And she couldn’t do it yet.  Soon.  Not tonight, but very soon.

Staring out the window of his office, Sam was struggling to concentrate on anything other than where Haley might be.  He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even hear Jake enter the office.  He didn’t hear Jake walk right up to the desk.  And he didn’t hear Jake sit down in the chair across from him and plop his feet up on the desk.  It wasn’t until he cleared his throat loudly and then addressed Sam directly that his presence was acknowledged.

“Jake,” he said, quietly and without an ounce of interest.  He didn’t even maintain eye contact.  Instead, his attention was drawn once more to the dull gray day, the colorless city, the dim lights still on despite the time of day.  How appropriate that there would be no sunshine now that Haley appeared to have left his life.

“Where’s Haley?”  Jake asked.  And for that question alone he received a glare.  “Okay, sorry I asked.  I didn’t know anything was up.”  It seemed like an innocent enough question.  At the time.  He imagined he would hear that she was running an errand or had an appointment.  “Is there anything I can do?”

“No, Jake.  There’s nothing anyone can do.  Even me.”  He sighed and leaned back in his chair.  He stared at his old friend angrily.  Maybe he was losing his touch.  He used to be able to clear a room with a glance.  Now, no one could take a hint.  No one seemed to be paying attention to him at all…especially Haley.

Giving his friend a hesitant smile, he said, “Seriously, did you forget who you’re speaking to.  Why, I’m Jake Ryan, private investigator extraordinaire.”  He gave Sam a toothy grin.

“How can I forget?”  Sam asked sadly.  “It was because of you, Jake Ryan, PI extraordinaire, that she’s gone.  You had to leave a business card in Philadelphia.  You had to break into her apartment and find that medical file.  Why can’t you just use a computer and a phone like the rest of the investigators do?  Oh, never mind.  It was that last text message that was the nail in my coffin.”  He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Jake sat there in silence for a moment.  “What if I find her for you?  I bet I could.  I could find her and then you could make up.  There.”  And he folded his hands behind his head as though the discussion was settled. 

Truth be told, Sam was tempted.  He wanted Haley home with him, and at work with him, and sharing a bed with him, and building a life with him…forever.  But instead of acting impulsively like he had for so long, he decided to consider the ramification of his actions.  And there it was.  He had to be patient.  He had to give her a chance to come home.  They would have to work through this together, without external interference no matter how good the intentions. 

Shaking his head, he finally spoke.  “No.  Having you investigate her is what started all of this to begin with.  Did you know that the Chinese definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results?”

“I had no idea.”  He gave Sam a blank look.  “I’m sorry.  You lost me.”

Sam let out a hollow laugh.  “If I keep doing the same thing…having you investigate…and expecting a different result…like a happy ending with Haley, then I must be crazy.  It’s been a rough few years, but I don’t think I’m crazy yet.”  He sighed.  “I’m going to try a different approach.  I’m not going to do anything.  I’m going to try being patient.”

When he said it, he meant it, but the longer the week dragged on, the more his emotions were all over the board.  Sam was flying through the many stages of grief and then back again.  He was in denial that she was gone, determined that Haley was coming back.  Then he hated her for leaving him.  Moments later, he was worried about her.  And finally he spent a lot of time dealing with the guilt, the self-blame, and bargaining.  Sam’s business side was constantly bargaining. 

The week went by in a blur for Haley, yet still the wheels of justice felt as though they were turning so slowly.  In her mind, Chase should be arrested and sentenced already.  She had talked to the DA about the options.  Would there be a trial?  Would there be a deal offered?  Had she talked to the DA in New York?

The longer she had to think, the more questions that she came up with.  There was one that had been burning in the back of her mind from the beginning.  Without thinking, she finally blurted it out in a phone call.  “When can I go home?”

And the DA responded.  “This could take some time.  We will invite Chase in for questioning, take a DNA sample, and then have to wait for it to come back from the lab before we can arrest him.  You must have a life to go back to.  You spoke of friends.  I’ll keep your cell number and be in touch.”

Just like that she was free to go.  Of course, the question became, where would she go?  Her apartment was a six month sublease.  And that period had expired.  She could have renewed, but instead she was busy caring for Sam while Adam was in the hospital.  She sighed.  Sam still had all the rest of her clothes and personal belongings.  She could go there…but given the circumstances, that might be a bit presumptuous.  What if he was angry and didn’t want to see her?  She couldn’t just show up like that, even if she had made her exit just as quickly.  Well, it was something to sleep on.  It was later in the day than she wanted to leave.  She knew the train would be crowded with commuters.  And quite frankly, she needed a little more time to mentally prepare for her return.  So, she picked up some take out and went back to her hotel room to pack and prepare.

Chase was still in his office when he received the call from his father.  Though he looked at the Caller ID and contemplated not answering it, he finally broke down.  Ever since he had returned from that last trip to New York he had been trying to figure out how to fix things.  The car repair was easy enough.  No, he couldn’t seem to figure out how to fix Haley, let alone how to get to her.  And the one time he was close he let his temper and emotions take over.  She had walked away virtually unscathed, the lucky bitch.

“Father,” he said seriously when he answered the phone.  “What can I do for you?”

“Run, Chase,” his father began seriously and deliberately.  “You’re going to have to run.”

Fear gripped him.  Somehow, his father knew.  “What do you mean?”  He had a white knuckle grip on the phone and he was quickly breaking into a cold sweat.

“A friend in the department called.  You are going to be invited to the police station to answer to a rape charge.  They will take DNA.  I want to believe you are innocent, but son, if there is even a chance that this girl has something on you, I want you to run.”  His father waited for a response.  It never came. 

Chase was frozen in shock.  What would he do?  Run.  It sounded simple, but why should he have to run?  So he had sex with Haley.  By now, she’d probably been with a bunch of guys.  And he had a life.  He had political aspirations.  Okay, they were his father’s aspirations for him, but it didn’t matter.  He still wanted to make his father proud.

“I can’t stand the thought of you being locked up.  We’ll find you a nice warm climate and a place with no extradition treaty with the US government.”  His father seemed to have this all worked out.  “We’ll have you fly out of Philly tonight.”

Suddenly Chase understood.  He had one chance left.  This time he wasn’t going to blow it.  “Not Philly.  I’ll come home and get some things.  Fly me out of La Guardia.”  The conversation ended.  He left the office early, heading home complaining of intestinal issues.  No one questioned him. 

When he arrived home, he was shocked to discover that his father already had bags waiting at the door for him.  “I took the liberty of having the maid pack you a few things.  I told her you had a business trip.  It’s not untrue.  You do have a lot of business to accomplish.  Let’s talk.”  And with that he brought Chase into the study so they could discuss the next twenty-four hours.

Apparently, Chase would take the train to New York.  He had a meeting with a gentleman about a passport and fake identification.  It wouldn’t be ready until the next morning.  He would be staying in the suite they kept for important clients in New York.  And with all of his arrangements nearly settled, his father asked one last question.

“Where would you like to go?”  He handed him a list. 

Chase was about to ask what the list was, but soon saw that it was labeled as ‘Countries with No US Extradition.”  And he simply looked at his father for a moment.  “Is this something you have kept on hand?”

“Of course not!”  His father snapped.  “I only just printed it out.  And don’t tell me.  I don’t want to know.  I can’t be accused of lying for you.  Read the rest and then we’ll say our goodbyes.”

“Mother?”  Chase asked quietly.

“Let’s keep her out of this.  You’ll break her heart.”  And with that, his father shook his hand and exited the room.  And Chase took his bags, left his car and his cell phone and headed to the train station.  In thirty-six hours, he would be headed to Maldives. 

Haley spent the entire train ride back to New York thinking and in the end she decided to give herself the complete do-over.  She went back to where it all began.  Taking just a short cab ride, she ended up in front of Ellen’s house.  With a smile on her face and a certainty in her stride, she walked confidently to the door and knocked.  This time she wasn’t showing up battered and broken, but strong and confident.  It was a good look for her.

“Ohmygawd!  You’re here!”  Ellen squealed.  “I swear, I thought I’d never see you again.  What happened?  Tell me everything.”

And just like that she was ushered into the house, handed a drooling baby, and offered a cup of hot tea.  It really was just about the most perfect welcome she could imagine.  Because of it, she didn’t hesitate to ask her favor.

“I still haven’t spoken to Sam,” Haley began.  “He has all the rest of my clothes and possessions, but on the off chance that he doesn’t want to see me or refuses to let me stay with him, could I stay with you for the night?  I’ll make other arrangements in the morning, but tonight…”

“You can stay as long as you need to, Haley,” Ellen said.  “You are family.  Do you think I’d leave Abigail to just anyone?”

It was late afternoon by the time Haley left Ellen’s.  She decided to leave her new suitcase filled with the beginnings of her new fitted wardrobe there.  One way or another, she would get them back soon.  The taxi pulled up and she waved to Ellen and Abigail just before she sat in the back seat.  And before she could change her mind, she told the driver the address of the agency.

Soon enough she was there.  And it was all rushing back to her…the way her life had evolved, how all her healing had started right here.  Sure, the bruises had healed long before she started, but it was the damage that was invisible to the eye that took longest to recover from.  In the elevator, she had only made it up a few floors before Jake Ryan joined her.  He looked at her in surprise, taken completely off guard.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Haley interrupted him.  “I’m headed up to see Sam right now.  And I swear to you that if you call and warn him or get to him before I do; I will completely and metaphorically castrate you.  Any questions?”  He shook his head, eyes wide in shock.  “Good.”  They had arrived at her floor.  She stepped off the elevator and turned around to face him.  “Nice seeing you again.”  Jake merely nodded.

As Haley entered the office, one fact became quite clear very quickly.  She had been replaced.  There was a woman Haley didn’t recognize sitting at the desk that just over a week ago had belonged to her.  The woman was young and quite attractive.  She wore form fitting clothing and impossibly high heels.  And the minute she opened her mouth, Haley loathed her.  She had a voice that simply oozed sensuality.  For a moment Haley wondered how long he had waited before replacing her.  Part of her wanted to find out.  The other part of her was distracted by a sudden burst of noise coming from Sam’s office.

Apparently he was fighting with Adam.  He hadn’t done that…ever.  She stood and listened before deciding how to react.

“You need the help,” Adam argued.  “I can do this.  I’m a Davenport, too.”

“Need I remind you that you hated this job?” Sam roared.

Adam made a dismissive sound effect.  “I didn’t hate the job.  I hated you.  Get it right.  We’ve been over this.”