Thin Ice 3 - Armageddon (26 page)

“
Move,” Jaron told her through the glass.

Gabrielle read his lips and hurriedly got out of the way as the brick sailed through the glass causing a loud crash.

“
Stay back,” he told her, using a stick from the yard to finish breaking the glass.

         
Telling her to place her sheet on the broken sill, Jaron helped Gabrielle from the window holding her until he got her footing after reaching the ground.

“
Did you drive,” she asked looked at him fearfully.

“
Yeah, my truck is about half a mile back up the road,” Jaron answered as Gabrielle nodded and took his hand.

She knew the woods well, even in the dark. She was careful to stay hidden in the cover the woods offered as they made their way back to where he told her his truck was parked. Gabrielle’s nerves were on edge with every sound she heard, she imagined Seth’s hands grabbing her and his gun shooting Jaron and killing him. Breathing a small sigh of relief when they reached his truck, Gabrielle told him to get them out of there, which he did, without question.

         
Jaron noticed her looking over her shoulder the entire time they road. She didn’t relax enough to start talking to him until they’d gotten onto the interstate out of Louisiana heading for now, back to Mississippi.

“
Why did you come,” she questioned reality easing back into her existence.

“
I needed to see you again and to make sure you were all right,” Jaron told her honestly.

“
Why were you locked in that room,” Jaron questioned her now.

Sighing deeply Gabrielle told him her brother had flipped out and locked her inside. Not really lying, but not divulging the entire truth either.

“
I’m not going back there,” she said simply, more to herself than Jaron.

Gabrielle didn’t know what she was going to do, or how she was going to do it, but she wasn’t going back to that house or anywhere near Seth ever again.

“
Do you wanna come with me,” Jaron asked looking into her eyes and praying she said yes.

“
Where are you going,” Gabrielle questioned.

“
Atlanta,” he said simply.

Now that she was with him again, he could approach Tariq about the promise he’d made to allow him to work in the Atlanta operation.

         
Gabrielle told him that sounded good as Jaron smiled and continued driving. She finally relaxed completely, laying her head on the headrest and drifting off to sleep after seeing the mileage marker indicating another 80 miles to Mississippi. Jaron took her hand and held it as he drove. He kissed it softly and smiled thinking how glad he was he followed his mind. Thankfully he wouldn’t have to disappear now. He could continue to work for Tariq making good money and being treated fairly. Jaron thought about their lovemaking and wondered if she’d seen her period yet. He pushed everything out of his mind except her presence in his life and kicked up the speed on the truck wanting to hurry and get home.

*****

          “
Where you been,” Mook asked angrily as Kim walked in the suite and he took in the dress he told her not to wear. Looking at her face, his anger quickly left as he saw her red rimmed eyes.

“
Baby, what’s wrong,” Mook asked coming to her and hugging her tightly as she began to cry again. “Kim, what’s wrong, did someone hurt you, what the hell,” Mook tried getting frustrated that she wasn’t talking. “Baby, say something, shit,” he told her almost at his breaking point.

Managing to gather herself she handed him the journal.

“
What’s this,” Mook asked giving her another look.

Kim rose and walked to the bathroom without a word, washing her face and blowing her nose before she came back into the bedroom where Mook was still sitting the worried look on his face.

“
Will you please talk to me Kim, what the hell is going on,” he asked the stress in his voice evident.

         
Kim took a deep breath and sat down telling Mook about her day and how it all came about. She told him about Hope Cisneros, about her brother Carlo and about Lauren. She sat silently as Mook read the journal himself at her prompting. He got up grabbing the bottle of Jose from the dresser and turning it up, making a substantial dent in the barely opened bottle before setting it back down. Kim could see the raw fury etched on his face.

“
What kind of sick ass sonofabitch rapes his own damned 12 year old daughter,” he asked tightly, his eyes boring into Kim’s.

Waiting until he’d calmed slightly she told him the rest of the story, repeating what had been told to her earlier this evening by Hope.

“
Later that night,” Kim began as Mook continued to watch and listen. “After he raped her, Carlo dragged Auriel, her mother, into Lauren’s bedroom,” she told him as Mook held the Jose bottle now, taking small shots as she talked. “He had beaten her almost past the point of recognition,” Kim began anew. “He woke Lauren up and made her watch as he cut her mother’s throat and shot her point blank in the head,” she got out before taking a breath needing to collect herself again.

         
Mook’s head was spinning. This was movie type shit. He’d heard of Hangman. Heard he was a crazy muthafucka and after hearing the things Kim was telling him, he believed every legend.

“
That wasn’t the end though,” she started again as Mook continued to endure. “For the next four years her made Lauren live as his wife. He had sex with her nightly. He gave her liquor and kept her drunk while he abused her,” Kim told Mook as he continued to breathe hard. “He taught her to sell drugs, contract hired killings, and launder money. He even taught her how to kill,” Kim told Mook. “She endured that hell until the Feds finally busted him and she was 16 years old,” she told him. “Hope, her aunt,” Kim went on with the story. “Tried to get custody, but Carlo wouldn’t sign consent, so she had to go to court and fight,” Kim took another breath. “In the meantime, Lauren was in counseling and at first refused to talk about any of it. The therapists worked with her non stop until she finally broke and told the entire story of what had happened.” Kim told Mook as he finally said something.

          “
So why didn’t she end up with the Aunt,” he asked as Kim heard the hurt mix with his anger.

“
The courts were slow, you know how the legal system is,” Kim explained. “She got tired of waiting and ran away, believing her Aunt was just making excuses and really didn’t want her,” she told him as Mook nodded.

“
How did the name come about,” he asked curiously.

Kim smiled slightly. “Kaitlyn Ross was her therapist,” she told him calmly. “She simply stole the woman’s name, added a middle initial and lived her life since then,” she finished as Mook digested everything he’d just heard.

“
So KiKi doesn’t remember any of this shit,” Mook asked.

Kim explained to him what Hope told her.

“
Dr. Ross said that right before Lauren ran away, maybe a few months, she wouldn’t discuss it anymore. She had a complete life made up and that was the fantasy she lived in. She wouldn’t acknowledge even knowing Carlo or her own mother Auriel for that matter,” Kim explained. “Hope thinks that over the years her true identity has been repressed so deeply, Lauren actually believes her own fantasy.”

“
Shit,” Mook murmured.

“
We hafta tell Tariq,” Kim told him as Mook closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

“
She needs help, Mook,” she tried to convince him. “If she doesn’t deal with that trauma she’s gonna explode and hurt either herself or everyone around her,” Kim pleaded.

Mook knew she was right, he just didn’t know how they were going to tell the man. This was his wife. The woman he loved. The woman he’d shared a child with.

“
We hafta tell him soon,” Kim prodded.

She was recalling Kaitlyn’s strange behavior at Mardi Gras and knew there time wasn’t long. Kaitlyn was set for a meltdown and they all needed to be prepared when she did.

*****

          
Shells was readying himself for the trip tomorrow. He had his arsenal spread across the king-size bed deciding which weapons he was taking. His gut told him there would be trouble, and Shells always believed in being prepared. He selected two .380’s, a .10mm, and his desert eagle. He would take the AK-47 as well in case any industrial sized bullshit kicked off. After cleaning and reloading the weapons, Shells packed them into his duffle bag and sat them next to the door. He put his other duffle with his clothes and personal items there as well. He could simply grab them on his way out in the morning, no time wasted. He’d gotten their departure time from Tariq. Shells needed to be in place at least an hour before they left so he could inconspicuously follow them. He was changing vehicles now that Tae had made the Hummer. Thinking about her brought a small smile to his face as Shells recalled her visit.

         
The answer to his earlier irritation hit him like a lightning bolt as he smoked another blunt and relaxed. He was angry with her for putting herself in danger true, but he was angrier that she was seeing some dealer or other. He knew there was a man waiting in the Bayou. He’d seen the flowers when he checked her apartment while she was out. Shells had to admit he found Tae very attractive and wanted to get to know her much better.
Not until she stop bein’ stupid and tryna run dope and shit,
his mind told him as Shells hissed aloud. His mind was set on ending the affiliation between her and her drug dealer, Kareem, while they were there this weekend.
How you gonna do that,
his mind questioned as the malevolent smiled crossed Shells face. His cell vibrated with the message from Tariq. Answering him, Shells turned the instrument off and lay down. He needed to sleep so he would be alert and refreshed tomorrow. There was work to do.

*****

         
Ian arrived at the house and found it empty.
That’s odd,
he thought using the key they’d given him. Walking inside Ian looked around seeing all the broken furniture and papers that littered the dining room.

“
What the hell happened in here,” he mumbled aloud calling out for Seth, Peyton or Brie. Getting no response, Ian began wandering through the house. Knocking lightly on Brie’s door, he got no response. He knocked again more forcefully seeing the light under the door.

“
Brie, its Ice, open the door,” he said through the closed wood. “Brie, are you alright,” Ian inquired becoming worried.

Still, he received no response. Stepping back, Ian used his foot and kicked the door open revealing the empty room and the broken window.
What the fuck is going on,
Ian continued to think as the headlights driving up broke his thought and he went back toward the front door.

         
The knock came just as Ian reached the door. Opening it, he was met by the local sheriff’s deputy.

“
I’m looking for Gabrielle,” he told Ian eyeing him suspiciously.

“
She’s not here,” he replied calmly.

The deputy sighed deeply as Ian asked if there was a message.

“
There’s been an accident,” he told him as Ian frowned slightly. “I guess old Seth and Peyton went out fishing,” he began as Ian got a sinking feeling. “Boat turned over and neither one was wearing a life jacket,” he went on and Ian knew what the next words would be.

“
Did they survive,” Ian asked, as the deputy lowered his head and shook it in the negative.

“
I’ll make sure I tell her when she gets home,” Ian told him as the deputy thanked him and left him to his business.

Damn,
Ian thought once again heading into the dining room. Something had obviously happened before the whole fishing trip. Picking up various papers, Ian began to read and put together what may have triggered the incident. He saw that Seth had basically taken over the operation and cut Peyton out.
I’m sure that didn’t go over well,
Ian surmised. Still even if they fought, it didn’t answer the question of Brie’s whereabouts. Ian sighed deeply pushing it out of his mind for now. He grabbed some clothing, deciding that wherever Brie was she wasn’t coming home tonight, and left the house heading for the hotel. He needed to be in place when Kaitlyn arrived tomorrow afternoon. He was sorry about Peyton and Seth, having formed a genuine like for them, but nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to get in the way of his getting Kaitlyn back tomorrow, Ian thought getting into his own car and leaving the dark and empty house.

22

Shells was waiting patiently as the women packed their things into the truck and readied themselves to leave. They were all giggling and playing around as they threw various duffle and garment bags into the trucks cargo area. Finally loaded, they got into the truck, Tae driving, and pulled out of the driveway. Shells started his vehicle and followed after they’d gotten around the corner. He was in no rush knowing the route they would need to take to reach the interstate. He was in his Chevy today, the new Malibu to be exact, a soft powder blue color with custom wheels. There was nothing spectacular about it to make it stand out enough to be noticed, unlike the Hummer. He watched as Tae stopped at the local QuickTrip and Kaitlyn went inside to pay for the gas and grab whatever snacks she wanted, he assumed. He saw Tae looking around over her shoulder and knew she was looking for his truck. Satisfied they weren’t being followed she returned her attention to the gas pump and began to fill the truck.