Instinctual (21 page)

Kate blanched under Jake’s touch before she shoved his hand away and stood up again, her body in defense mode. “How can you even say that, Jake? You don’t even know Carlos. Why would you say that to me? Are you jealous?”

“No! I’m not jealous. He’s not who you think he is.”

This conversation was not happening. She didn’t want to argue about Carlos. She didn’t want to argue, period.

“He’s exactly who I think he is. He would never just take off and leave me in the middle of the night with no good reason and then vanish off the face of the earth! Don’t tell me he’s not who I think he is!” Okay, now she was lying to herself. She knew there was something off about where Carlos worked but what the hell right did Jake have to bad mouth the guy?

She stormed out of the kitchen, past her father, and back into the bedroom, as if by doing so it would put an end to the conversation and placate Jake. She could feel him hot on her heels, clearly not done yet.

“Oh, you think you have everything figured out, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do! How dare you walk back into my life and tell me that I don’t know my own boyfriend when you have never even met the guy! You’re unbelievable, Jake!” Unbelievably, spot on.

She thought her relationship with Carlos needed some defense, though. After all, he wasn’t here to defend himself.

“Remember all that I told you before? How you wanted me to lay all my cards on the table and leave nothing out?”

“Yes, and we’re done with that.”

“No. We’re. Not!” Jake’s roar almost shook the walls.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore!” She threw herself down on the bed facing the wall.

“I’m not done yet. There’s more. Damn frustrating woman! You’re going to hear it whether you fucking like it or not! Let’s see how perfect you think your boyfriend is after this!”

Silence.

“Kate, the reason I know that Carlos is not who you think he is, is because I know that for a fact.”

“Oh, right. So, what? You’re actually friends with him?” Her voice was whiny like a child’s.

A strange sound escaped Jake’s throat at that remark. “Friend? You think he’s my friend? Christ, Kate. I’d hardly be friendly with a guy who’s a major player with The Organization and who’s babysitting me in prison.”

Kate rolled over so fast, one would have barely noticed the movement. “What the fuck, Jake? What do you mean? You’ve got him mistaken with someone else. Carlos would never, ever be involved in that shit. That’s just insane! You’re insane!” Her voice was so high she almost sang the words.

“I’m not insane and I kid you not. I have stood within an inch of the man who’s in the photo on your bed stand. I’m okay with names but I never forget a face. The guy you think is so honest and caring is leading a double life, Kate. He’s working for
them.
I swear to you! I wouldn’t bring it up if I wasn’t one hundred percent sure. He’s been working for The Organization and has been given the task of watching over me. While you think he’s away on some sales seminar, he’s holed up in the rotting jail where my body is.”

Kate sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, looking like she’d been dealt the final blow. It was too crazy. She just couldn’t believe it. There had to be another explanation. She knew Carlos would never do that. Would he?

“But… that’s just ridiculous! What possible reason would he have for lying to me?”

Jake knelt down in front of her, not touching her, lowering his voice to a quieter, gentler octave.

“I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you. You’ve been through so much these past few days.” He pushed his hand through his hair as if not sure what else to do with it.

“Prove it! Take me to him!” Hah! That would throw a spanner in Jake’s plan to get her to break up with Carlos. She was sure that was what he was trying to do.

“What? Now you’re being absurd.”

“I want to see it with my own eyes. Now! If what you’re saying is true, which I don’t think it is, you have to take me there.”

Jake was silent. Kate used his hesitancy to keep pushing.

“It’s not like we can do anything until we figure out how to get through to my father. We might as well use that time constructively. This is my life we’re talking about, Jake. You need to take me there. I need proof. I’m not taking no for an answer!”

Jake sighed. “How could I have possibly thought you would just take my words at face value? Of course you would want proof. I forget who I’m dealing with, Kate. I do want you to get assurance and finally see just what sort of a boyfriend you’ve got.”

Kate laughed. “You don’t know shit, Jake. I can’t wait to prove you wrong.”

Jake’s jaw twitched as he stood straighter. “All right. We’ll go. Let me tell you this, though. We need to make it as quick as possible. I’ll give you the proof you need and then we need to zap our asses back here so that we can somehow get a message to your father about the whereabouts of your body. You don’t have much time left.”

Kate was already off the bed, grabbing Jake’s hands in hers, closing her eyes and waiting for him to blink them away, trying to ignore the zing that went through her at the contact.

Before Kate could tell Jake to hurry up, she shivered, the temperature having dropped a few degrees as they arrived at their destination. The idea she had conjured up in her head about the jail was infinitely different from the reality. Jake had teleported them into a long narrow corridor in the heart of the jail.

Kate gulped. Her first time ever in a prison and the eerie silence and solitude of being in one so old, abandoned, and in disrepair was extremely uncomfortable.

“You okay?” Jake asked as he traced small circles on the top of her hand with his thumb.

Kate was speechless as she somehow managed to nod once.

“Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.” He didn’t bother to let go of her hand as they sailed past cell after cell towards the end of the corridor.

Kate felt Jake’s whole body go rigid and she could swear they’d sped up. Out the corner of her eye to her left, shapes blurred from within a cell. It seemed odd because all the others were vacant. Her curiosity got the better of her.

She pulled Jake to a grinding stop as a steel gurney entered her peripheral vision. She cringed as she turned in the direction of the constant beeps that echoed off the walls.

“OMG! Jake?” It was whispered on a wave of grief. She pulled out of his grasp and without even trying, walked through the steel bars to Jake’s bedside. He hovered outside, not caring to enter the morbid tomb.

While Jake had told her he was out of his body like her, seeing it as real as it was in that moment, his flesh and blood lying lifeless in a prison cell without the proper care he needed from a real hospital and medical staff, made her heart break.

Jake watched in earnest as Kate’s hand moved to his supine form’s face to stroke it softly in a compassionate gesture.

Upon her touch the heart monitor accelerated, as if underneath the layer of unconsciousness he felt the kindness and sympathy flood into him.

Kate quickly looked up to where Jake hovered looking in, hoping he could explain. “What’s happening?

“Even in such a weakened, state I still respond to your touch, Kate. I’ll always respond to you.”

She was confused at the deep emotion she was experiencing at the sight of Jake so helpless and unconscious. Two days ago she would probably wouldn’t have batted an eyelid, but now? After hearing him pour his heart and soul out, knowing that he’d always loved her and had never wanted to end their relationship, well, that kind of changed things. Sure, he’d disappeared and not told her squat. That still hurt. Sure, she’d suffered and agonized over the reasons why he’d left, blaming herself for maybe not being good enough or pretty enough. She’d hated his guts and had wanted to shatter the bones in his arms and legs for the hurt he’d caused. But that was then. This was now. She had to help him.

“Jake. I need you to take me to the man who you claim to be Carlos. Where is he?”

Jake didn’t answer verbally but motioned with his head towards the end of the long corridor.

As Kate broke contact with the pasty-faced corpse, the heart monitor returned to a normal rhythm. She solemnly made her way through the cell bars, instinctively taking Jake’s hand as he led her forwards.

She couldn’t find any words in regards to Jake’s predicament. Nothing she could say to him would change the situation, so she interlaced their fingers tightly as if in defiant unison she would fight with him to bring those responsible to justice.

In another second they were standing outside two large timber doors. Jake looked at Kate and asked, “Are you sure you’re ready to do this?”

She nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes. Let’s get this over with.”

There is nothing to worry about. It isn’t Carlos. It isn’t. Jake has the wrong man. It will all be over with in minutes and then we can leave and go back to my father.

The trouble was though, she was doubting Carlos with each passing second. Her instincts were working overtime.

Still holding Kate’s hand, Jake gave her a slight smile and gently pulled her forward through the door to the other side.

Kate could hardly believe the contrast from one side of the door to the other. It wasn’t what she’d been expecting.

“What the hell is this place, Jake? Who lives here?”

“It’s the head asshole’s quarters. Dirty money, all of it. This is where your precious Carlos is holed up.”

Kate tried to ignore Jake’s last comment, turning full circle to soak up the extravagance. “Come.” Jake led the way across the large living/dining area and down a short hallway.

It was still dark out, so whoever was in the bedroom would be sleeping. Kate was shaking. What if it really was Carlos? What would she do then? Could Jake really be wrong and it just be someone that looked like her boyfriend? She doubted it very much. Nausea rose steadily until it caught in her throat.

By the time they reached another door and Jake opened it, Kate couldn’t move. She hesitated, not wanting to see the truth for what it was.

Jake turned and with a soft voice said, “Baby, you don’t have to do this you, know. We can teleport out of here in an instant and return to your apartment.”

That would be the reasonable thing to do. To ignore Jake’s revelation and return home to the safety and comfort of her villa. To pretend that in some way, she didn’t think that maybe it was possible Carlos was indeed a criminal. Why was she even considering it? Did she not trust him one hundred percent? That seed of doubt had always been there when she thought back to his vagueness about his work. They’d never really discussed who he actually worked for. That had seemed odd but she’d dismissed it as Carlos just not liking to discuss his job.

She dithered some more. Her feet seemed to be glued to the floor. In the next moment Kate could possibly learn just how screwed up her life really was. Was she ready for that?

I have to know, one way or the other. I need to find out the truth. Jake kept me in the dark for so long. I can’t go through that again with Carlos.

The closer she got to the truth, the harder it was to pull herself through the door.

Jake moved from one foot to the other. He appeared just as nervous as she.

Kate ordered her feet to move and finally they complied as she trudged through the door and over to the sleeping man that had his back towards her.

The palatial room was no less luxurious than the living quarters with its super king sized bed raised on a two-tiered podium with a giant scalloped headboard in a natural cream color. Above the flamboyant headboard sat an Italian masterpiece that could only be described as breathtaking. Framed in what appeared to be solid bronze was an original painting of ‘Madonna in Glory’ by Renaissance artist Bernardino Campi. Kate had learned a great deal about art since moving to Italy and loved that
particular era. Standing so close to such a grand piece of work and art history had her hypnotized like a drooling dog, and for a moment she forgot why she was in the room. She gazed at the red-headed Madonna, swathed in a dress of the same color, surrounded by angels reaching out to her, in awe of the way Campi had captured Madonna’s emotions in such a simplistic painting yet one that spoke a thousand words.

Kate had to admit that the criminal who owned the masterpiece had superb taste. The painting would have cost a fortune. She wondered how much he had paid for it and then just as quickly shuddered at the thought that he probably hadn’t paid for it. He’d probably had one of his puppets steal it.

Jake broke Kate’s reverie by clearing his throat. In all honesty, she’d just been stalling for time. Prolonging the inevitable.

She looked over at him and he motioned her forward with a jerk of his head. She was suddenly dizzy as she stopped at the end of the bed, trying to gain some sort of composure before standing before the man she thought she trusted.

Finding the familiar face it took an instant for her to register that it was indeed Carlos that lay curled in a heap under the covers. The same man who’d been in her bed only days before. She stared at his messy brown hair, hoping by some miracle that it would turn blond. She waited for his round chin to turn sharp and his rather bushy eyebrows to become more refined. Nothing of the sort happened as her brain registered the truth.