Royce (48 page)

Royce had been asked as a child, “Who would you save between your mother and your wife?”  It was supposed to be a tough question to answer, a question you had to think hard on and really no one thought they’d ever have to answer that question, but here it was he had to answer that question.  Who would you save your wife or your children?  If someone had asked he would have said, “That’s an impossible question to answer,” but he answered it without hesitation, it was Joy.  He knew in that moment he couldn’t live without her, but he also saw her answer and it wasn’t the same.  She was ready to risk it all and not for him.  She could live without him.  He lay his head down, holding her there and sobbed with her.

Jameson fired and fired on the helicopter, RAT, TAT, TAT, TAT!  RAT, TAT, TAT, TAT!  He wouldn’t let up and the only thing good about this day was his weapons were always ready.  They fired at the helicopter and it fired at them,
God he hoped they hadn’t hit her
.   He’d seen her standing there, the children were screaming and started running out the water and he’d yelled at them, “Stay where you are, stay where you are!”   They’d all frozen in place, they were just standing there, he could see the girl Lindsey visibly shaking she was so scared and he kept firing and firing trying to get a good hit and then finally he hit the shooter, the gun went up in the air and he saw it fire inside the helicopter.  Valerie fired on the helicopter again and again as he’d instructed her too, “You shoot the chopper, I’ll take the shooter,” she was trying for anything to disable it.  Then he saw smoke coming from the helicopter and it limped away and when the helicopter was out of sight it was pandemonium. 

The beach goers came scrambling out the water screaming and frantic.  It seemed everyone froze when he yelled not just the children.  He was worried about the Harrington children, all four of them came running out the water, the girl crying and shaking, the little one Christopher crying and running beside her, Justin and Deon looked scared as if they’d seen a ghost, their eyes big and frightened.  He turned to look where he’d last seen Joy and she wasn’t there and his heart pounded, and then he saw them.  Royce was getting up from the sand on the other side of the table with the umbrella, and his heart was flipping around in his chest and then he saw him extend a hand and he saw her take it. 

Royce pulled her up but she too was visibly shaken and crying and so was he.  The kids ran to them, and he saw Joy lose it, she took them all in her arms crying uncontrollably and Royce tried to put his arms around all of them.  They were crying and hugging on each other, he held on tight to them, all visibly shaken, scared and their tears were loud and hard, “Let’s go inside,” he heard Royce say and they started slowly and walked almost as a unit crying until they got to the stairs.  He let the kids go up first, then Joy, she was distraught.  He and Valerie followed behind the Harrington’s, “Fuck, fuck!,” he muttered to himself, this wasn’t supposed to happen.

When they got to the house Jameson went around asking, “Is everyone okay?” They nodded, but clearly they were not, and the police were at the front door.

He handed the guns to Valerie, “Go out back and take these,” he said, she was visibly upset too. “Go take your family to your rooms, I’ll handle the police."  Everyone quietly filed out and headed towards the stairs.  Joy giving them hugs and little kisses as they went and he opened the door and let the police in, “I’m Chief Salazar and we’re here about the shooting at the beach.”

“Yes, it was awful, I don’t have any idea what would make someone do that.” “Some are saying Senor Rojas was the target.” “That I couldn’t tell you but he is a prominent business man, someone might harbor him harm if they do not like that he’s made his fortune here,” Jameson said.  “Ah, that could be, we will look into that,” Chief Salazar said, “Where is Senor Rojas?  I need to speak with him.”  “Oh sure," he headed upstairs while the chief waited in the foyer.  He heard the shower running and knocked on Joy’s and Royce’s door, Royce answered. “The chief would like to speak with you,” but his eyes told him to let him in, “I am eluding that the perpetrator might be a disgruntled Spaniard not happy about your fortune in the horse business,” he said and he saw Joy sitting there.  All the kids were there, sitting on the bed, the chair and the shower was running. "I’ll be back”, Royce said and Jameson could see the anguish in his eyes, Joy nodded.

Royce kept up the lie, “I might have made someone angry, but I can’t think of anyone off hand,” he said.

After the police left they were making plans to get out of there.  Joy and the kids were packing and Royce went to see Jameson he was angry.  He banged on the door and Jameson let him in.  Jameson was hurriedly packing and opened the door to the loud knocking.   “What the fuck Jameson?”  Royce got up in his face and Jameson felt the de ja vu, “They weren’t supposed to get this close, what the fuck am I paying you for?”  Valerie was in her room crying and packing and heard it all an understood why he was so angry. 

“I know sir, I just got wind of it, that was the call I took, you’re right, it shouldn’t have gotten this close,” and again Jameson was aware of his failure and he didn’t like to fail at anything, “I know you’re angry with me Mr. Harrington, I am angry with myself, but we must get out of here before this hits the press and they swarm this small town and start snooping into who you really are and then it will be impossible for us to hide anywhere…We will fight another day,” he said firmly, that he was sure of. “We haven’t finished this yet!”  Royce said and stormed out. 

He was pissed and Joy was moving but her tears kept coming and she wasn’t talking just yet.  After the police questioned Rosa and Ricardo they came straight over almost out of their minds with worry and shock.

Royce handed the keys to the ranch to Macio and they loaded up in Ricardo’s old white van.  Jameson wished he could say goodbye to Lita, she was on one of her many trips.  He did stop and drop off a note at her door and Ricardo drove them to Madrid. 

Jameson had to work fast.  He had no time for preparation, but he knew he had to get them out of the country.  Once the press got on to this story there would be no place they could hide.  While Royce was handing over the ranch Jameson called the airport to see what was available.  Once he found a flight that could take them all he pulled out the old fake passports and being the kind of man he is when he’d bought the passports in Jamaica he’d bought seven extra blank books with the Jamaican stamp. 
Okay who can we be?
   He thought, and he had to work fast.  He had to make a new passport for the baby, and the two boys have to travel together and they look too much alike anyway for people not to think they’re brothers.  Then he decided Joy should travel as a Spanish woman with her child and Lindsey and Deon would be students traveling together.  They were tall they could pull off looking older.  He changed the passports.

Jameson was nervous when they went through customs.  He’d put the gray in Royce’s hair but he didn’t have time to do the mustache and he’d made new passports for Deon, Lindsey and Joy but he’d used their old pictures, and for baby Autumn, if the agent looked at the Jamaican stamp hard enough he would see the stamp was older than she was. 

They boarded the plane separately, but were happy to see they’d been placed in the same row, it was the long row in the middle of the plane.  They had all seven seats, it was another large jumbo jet the flag of its country painted on the tail in green, gold, black and a small bit of red.

“Oh you can sit here you’re tall,” Joy said to Deon and offered him her end seat and Jameson was grateful Royce was on the other end, far away from Joy and looking sad.  Jameson and Valerie were about ten rows back in a window row.  Jameson watched them, he was glad they were together but even he could see they weren’t happy people.  Royce was the worst though, he looked so sad, he carried his pain openly and Deon looked sad too.  He’d seen him scribbling a note to his girlfriend and giving it to Ricardo.  Little Autumn was the only one that looked curious, she held on to her doll and knelt in her seat facing the back,
gosh she was a gorgeous child
.   She had long dark ringlets in her hair, blue eyes like her father and a face like her mother.  She was eyeing the other passengers and spotted him and smiled, he knew he wasn’t supposed to acknowledge her, but he gave her a little smile, then he looked away. 

He was sitting in the aisle seat, the middle seat was empty and Valerie was by the window and he hoped no one would sit between them this was a long flight, almost eleven hours and he didn’t want to sit next to anyone who wanted to talk taking up his time.  He’d booked the first flight going anywhere and it so happen to be Cape Town, South Africa.

He had to think now and he knew nothing about South Africa.  There was Apartheid when he was on the force and the American government had sanctioned them for that racist system, but now it was lifted and Nelson Mandela a man they’d imprisoned for twenty-seven years had been president and the country was on the comeback after economic lows and trying to build up from what it was and to include people who had not been included for generations.  He had no idea what they were getting into and he looked over at Valerie she was crying and wiping her eyes, he didn’t know what to make of that, was it a man she was leaving behind?  She was supposed to be tougher than that.  He was leaving Lita and he knew he would miss her but he didn’t love her.

And he wouldn’t know that when his plane was high in the sky an excited Lita would come home hoping to see him and hear about the shooting, it was the talk of the town and reporters from TV, newspapers, radio were all over the place trying to piece together the story of a shooting in a little known place called Isle de St. Mary’s and she ran to the little house next to the big beautiful house and found it empty, and then she rushed to her apartment, maybe he was there.  She found the note stuck under her welcome mat and hurriedly opened her door happy.  He’d thought of her and this was his message telling her where to meet him she was sure,

Lita,

I’m sorry but I must go, you are a very lovely woman and my time here was wonderful spending it with you. 

Have a happy life and goodbye,

Jackson

Lita cried and buried her face in her pillow sobbing loudly, “He didn’t wait for me, he didn’t wait for me!”  She cried and knew he’d broken her heart.

When the flight was well under way Jameson had to purse his lips in disappointment.  Royce couldn’t stop looking at Joy.  He had his head turned in her direction staring at her, his blue eyes mournful and sad.  Joy was wiping tears and Valerie was annoying him silently crying and he shook his head,
they just don’t know how to play a role. 
He and Valerie were supposed to be a couple, but with her crying they didn’t look like a happy one.  He reached over and tapped her knee, “What’s the matter with you?  Stop it,” he mouthed to her.  She said okay, but she still cried and he wanted to throw his hands up. 

Then he saw Royce get up and walk towards the back of the plane, he thought he was going to the bathroom, but he walked to his side of the plane and down the aisle, right past him and stopped by Deon, “Change seats with me son, I’d like to speak with your mother,” and Jameson almost lost it he was so upset.  Deon got up and walked right past him and went around the plane and down the other aisle and sat in Royce’s seat.  Royce sat next to Joy and he could tell he moved the armrest up and back so it was like they were in one big seat, he put his arm around her and she laid her head against his chest and Jameson had to control himself,
why do I bother, why do I bother?  
And they stayed that way the remainder of the flight. 

When the plane was quiet and everyone was sleeping except Jameson, he couldn’t sleep if he tried, he was too wired after today.  He saw Royce’s body moving, slightly jerking, he was mouthing something but he couldn’t hear him,
he’s dreaming
.  A couple of passengers were looking at him, then he woke with a start.

The plane landed at Cape Town International Airport, and he’d told them once they cleared customs and claimed their luggage to look for a man holding a sign that said Sunset Tours.  He’d made the name up, but it was the only way he could have them load up in the same vehicle together and not look suspicious.

“I’m Jeremy Thomas of Sunset Tours,” he said to a black man in a chauffeurs suit holding a sign with the name, “Sunset Tours.” “Ah, uhuru.  Nice to meet you Mr. Thomas, welcome to South Africa,” he said with a huge smile.  “Thank you, glad to be here.  Now we must wait for my tour group and we can get moving,” and one by one they came.  They all acted as if they were meeting him for the first time, the driver led them to the waiting van.  He’d found this new location on the internet, then he destroyed the hard drive.  The home was owned by some exiled rich white South African and he didn’t know if it was self imposed or the government, but the place was supposed to be nice.  He’d reserved it for two reasons, it was way out in the middle of nowhere with a large wall around it and it had the space they needed until he figured out what to do next.

“Take me to the rental car agency I have two cars waiting,” he told the driver. They drive on the left side here Jameson noted, but at least the street signs were in English.  He thought about what he had to do, the first thing he needed was a phone he’d thrown all their phones along with the surveillance equipment to the bottom of Biscay Bay.  He picked up the cars and followed the van and tried to observe as best as possible.  He read street signs; they left town on highway N2 and drove further out into the beautiful wide open countryside and turned down another smaller road R43, and then they turned right on a lone street and pulled in front of a gate and it did look like it was in the middle of nowhere.  The gate opened and the driver drove through.  The house was a one story white house, it was long in front but it had two wings.  The grounds were immaculate with soft green grass, bountiful flowers and well manicured bushes and tall trees, all enclosed within a white wall that matched the house.  A stylish older white woman came out when the driver pulled up in front of the house, “I’m Mrs. DuShane I opened the gate when I saw you pull up,” she said in her Afrikaans accent.

Jameson went to her first, “I’m Jeremy Thomas and this is Victoria Irving we’ll be leading the tour.” “Ah nice to meet you, I’ll show you around,” The house was beautiful inside.  Lots of African tribal art, masks, mats, drums, animal print rugs of zebras and lion and she looked at Royce a few times, “Are you Francois, Irish?” She asked to be friendly.  “English,” he said, but he didn’t smile or make anymore small talk, “Ah,” she said getting the hint.  The house had a pool, a large kitchen, tennis court and eight bedrooms.  Mrs. DuShane led Jameson to the office, “Is the Englishman a widower?”  “No, why?”  “He just seems so…despondent.” “No is everything in order,” he asked to put a stop to her noisiness.  “Penny and her daughter Naledi will be here first thing in the morning.  They are responsible for the upkeep and meals,” he nodded, signed the paperwork and escorted her out as fast as possible.

After she left Valerie was sitting on the sofa still wiping her eyes, “I didn’t know where you wanted us to set up,” she said sadly.  He walked down the left wing and when they were in her room he closed the door, “What’s with you?”  He asked tersely.  He was sick of her tears, she was the professional and he stared at her expecting an answer.  “I just didn’t want it to happen this way,” she said sadly.  “Hell you think I did?  I could kick myself for the way this turned out.  We almost lost them today and…,” he almost lost her.  There was no question she was the first target and the hit man got off the first round and that scared the shit out of him, “Straighten up, you’re to be an example to them,” he said angrily and walked out the room. 

He went to check on the Harrington’s, it seemed the wing he and Valerie were in was the functional side, it had a mother-in-law set up, it had two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and one was a master suite with a glass door that opened to the pool, he took that one.  And in the center of the house there was a formal living room with a black baby grand piano,
great, 
he thought,
maybe Lindsey would play and sing again
.   And across from the family room another hall led to the other wing with six bedrooms, each with its own private bath and a large master, larger than his at the end of the hall with a sliding glass door that opened to the pool. 

Royce saw him pass by, “We need to talk.”  “I know Mr. Harrington, that’s why I came to see you.”

Jameson went to the office and closed the door and he was ready for whatever was coming his way.  Royce turned on him, “I can’t begin to tell you how fucking mad I am!  What happened?  What have I been paying you for all these years?  I thought it was to protect my family and instead at the first sign of trouble I see fucking bullets bouncing at my wife’s feet!”  He was yelling by the end of his tirade and Jameson was upset and angry too.

“You think I’m happy about this?  Hell no!  My guy didn’t tell me until it was almost too late!  Don’t think I won’t get to bottom of this!  If you want to fire me go right ahead, I fucked up!”  He stared at Royce, “I would! I would fire my ass right here and now!  All I ask is you just let me make sure you are protected until the new guy comes in!”  He was almost tearing up and yelling too he was so angry. 

The door quietly opened and Valerie walked in, “You guys we can hear you,” she whispered, but Royce didn’t care, “I almost lost my family today you think I’m worried a little yelling will scare them!” He stared angrily at her, “Let me tell you hearing shots fired over their head and almost seeing their mother get blown to pieces is a lot scarier lady!”  She shied away she could see he was in no mood for niceties.  The picture of Joy, bullets bouncing at her feet was already haunting him, it was an image he couldn’t get out of his head. 

He turned back to Jameson, “You know Jameson I wish I could fire you, but who do I know in South Africa?  Who the fuck do I know in the whole damn continent of Africa I can call to replace you!  It’s not like I can just get on the phone and dial up rent a protection agency.  Jesus Christ, Jameson what the fuck am I going to do now, huh?”  He was pacing and angry and just then Joy walked in.

She eased the door shut behind her.  She still wore her Spanish style dress but her red lipstick was long gone, “Look I know everyone is upset and angry but this is what I have to say in this situation.  I want to thank you, all three of you for saving my life and my children’s lives today.”  They all looked at her, “Look I know it wasn’t ideal, but Jameson and Valerie you came in the nick of time and the kids told me what you did Jameson.  I asked them what happened and they said you told them to stay where they were.  You saved them, you stopped them from running into the line of fire, as far as I’m concerned you did your job and you baby,” she looked at Royce, “You saved me.  I was about to do something foolish and you stopped me from risking my life and running out there and causing more harm than good.  When I think about what would have happened if I had run out there…,” she shuddered, “I could have caused the death of not only myself and you, but also our children.  I thank all of you for having the courage and mindset you did in this awful situation.” “But it was too close baby,” Royce said softly.  “I know baby,” she walked up to him, “But we’re alive…” “But next time baby we might not be so lucky, I can’t have it this close again,” she was holding his hand now.  “Let’s pray there won’t be a next time,” she said staring into his concerned blue eyes. 

Jameson and Valerie watched them.  Jameson saw Valerie wipe at her tears and he wanted to smack her, he thought she was tougher than this.  Joy turned to face Jameson and Valerie, “Look I know you have things to discuss but I wanted to let you know, I thank you, all of you,” and she looked at each one.  They were stunned silent for a moment. “Valerie, Mr. Harrington and I can take it from here,” Jameson said, she nodded, her eyes wet with tears and left with Joy.

“So what do you want to do Mr. Harrington?”  “Fuck Jameson, I’m so upset with you right now but I also need you.  We have to do better man, that was too close, too close man,” Royce sat down behind the desk and Jameson knew that was his cue to sit too.  He sat in a chair and he knew Royce’s only worry was his family.  “Let’s talk game plan, I need to know where we go from here?  What’s our next move and…I want a gun.” Jameson looked up at him, “Mr. Harrington I don’t…,” “I want a gun Jameson, you of all people know I know how to use one.  Get me a gun like the one you took from me an a holster and plenty of bullets.”

Jameson could see he was serious and that scared the shit out of him.  “So what’s next for us?”  Royce asked. “First I need to get a phone, I’ll go out tomorrow and get us set up with cell phones, after that I’ll check with my contacts and see what’s transpired since today.  Next we will determine if South Africa is where we want to stay and if this is the best location.  If so we will make the house as safe as possible, if not I will relocate us to a safe haven I know of and we will dig in again until there is no longer a threat.”  Royce was looking at him, and he saw him look away, “Okay, I’m tired and I want to wash this gray shit out of my hair,” he said without looking at Jameson. 

Royce walked to his room.  Joy had taken her shower and was dressed in her nightgown massaging lotion on her legs.  She smiled at him when he walked in.  He walked over to her, leaned down and gave her a little kiss on her lips, “I love you baby, let me take a shower and I’ll be right out okay.”  When he was showered and clean he felt a little better.  He didn’t even want to think of this day, but it stayed on his mind, the shooting, leaving the life they’d built, the ranch, his horses, Whirlwind and he wanted to cry.  He came out with a towel around his waist towel drying his hair.  He let the towel fall and he put on his boxers. 

Joy watched him pick up the towel and take it in the bathroom still toweling his wet hair and she hoped he’d be alright.   She knew this man and had never seen him look so hurt and broken, his eyes said it all, he carried all his expression in his eyes and they showed his hurt, his sadness, and she wanted nothing more than to take his sadness away, she wanted him to appreciate the fact they were alive. 

Royce came out the bathroom and climbed into bed.  He’d thought she was mad at him, mad at him for making her choose him.  Until she’d come into the office he’d been torn up thinking that.  He was thinking that on the plane, that’s why he went to her, and he was even madder at Jameson for making them choose.  He looked at her, “Did you mean what you said…of what I did?”  “Yes baby I meant every word, you saved my life today Royce.  You saved my life and I love you for it, I really love you.” “I’m so glad you feel that way baby…,” and she could see in his eyes that wasn’t enough for him.  She went to him and straddled him, “Baby we’re alive that’s all that matters, we’re alive and together,” she leaned down and kissed him, sweetly kissed him. 

She knew this man, this is the man she let drink her mother’s milk, she loved this man more than she’d ever loved any man in her life and she knew he loved hard, strong and deep, and that he loved her beyond reason sometimes.  She knew he was a good father and a great husband.  She knew how he wanted to be kissed, how his skin felt no matter what the season it was always warm, she knew how his sweat tasted, she knew he loved her to lick behind his balls, she knew how his ass smelt, yes she’d taken a whiff when she was down there too, she knew him and when he hurt she hurt too.  Her heart ached for him. 

She kissed his sweet lips running her tongue across them the way he liked.  She felt his arms around her, holding her tight.  Royce felt her warm soft body on his and he was so grateful she was here and real.  He closed his eyes to feel her, an image of her standing there bullets bouncing at her feet burned in his mind’s eye, he could see the smoke dust and he opened his eyes and held on tighter.  He kissed her harder and held her tight in his arms.  “I love you baby, don’t ever forget that,” Joy said and leaned down and kissed his sweet, sweet lips.  Royce held her and she caressed his face, kissing him and he couldn’t close his eyes or he saw her standing there with bullets bouncing inches away and before he knew it tears rolled from the corners of his eyes.   

Joy felt the tears, she looked at him, “Baby don’t, don’t baby,” she soothed, kissing his eyes, his salty tears, kissing him all over, “Don’t baby, it’s okay baby, it’s okay baby,” she soothed and kissed him.  She kissed his lips, his face, his tears, “Oh baby, don’t, don’t, don’t,” his tears still flowed.  She looked at him with love. Royce looked at her, his eyes locked on hers and he didn’t want to close his eyes.  “Feel me baby, hold on to me baby.  We’re here together baby,” she said softly.  He wanted her nipple in his mouth and to feel the sweet flow of her mother’s milk.  He wished she was still breast feeding and he had to relieve the pressure, but that had been awhile ago now, but he wanted the sensation of sucking her milk.  He still knew how and he moved her night gown strap down until he exposed her breast and cupping her he took her nipple deep in his mouth, he knew that would draw the milk.  She gasped and he sucked like he was drawing down her milk.  She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck.  He sucked and Joy felt him holding her so tight, sucking her and holding on.  She felt his wet raw tears against her skin and she held on and they went this way until he loosened his hold on her and began to suck softer and softer, and Royce wanted to stay this way forever.

When sleep found them she was still holding him, usually she lay in his arms, but tonight he lay against her and she stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head and held him in her arms until they went to sleep.  Then somewhere in the night she felt his body jerking, slight jerky movements, he was talking in his sleep, barely audible, she could hear him whimper, she made out, “Joy, Joy,” as his hands and feet twitched.