Tomorrow searched her closet for something to wear for the courthouse. She wanted to look good, but not sexy. Well, but not too well, her scar will be showing at least in the deposition room. She had to be there by 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. Her attorney told her what to expect, but then again, he also told her they were going to sue John LeMoine, until she told them what Doctor Kennard said. He didn't have much to say after that statement. She will find a new lawyer once this deposition is over. He will sue for attorney fees too.
Her mother was going to drop her off at the courthouse. She was planning on going, but the attorney told her she couldn't go in the room. She had her own deposition a few days later. They want to know everything about Billy's time in the hospital room with them. What he said, his attitude, and what his demeanor was when he saw her awake.
Tomorrow spoke with Gentry last night. She told him she had to work on herself before she could worry about a love life. He took it pretty well; with her assurances she would keep in touch. He would be the first to know when she was ready for a boyfriend again. Feeling content with her decision she pulled out some old tests and college books to refresh her memory. She had to get on with her life. Get a car and find a job, in that order. The new car will be a lot cheaper than the old one. She would buy a cheap KIA or a Nissan, something that gets good gas mileage.
Never again will a man tell her what to do, or what to buy, she swore as she thumbed through her old college books. She had been such a fool to allow Billy to rule the roost. He had no idea how to do anything, but she allowed him to call all the shots as her father always had with everything else in her life.
She went downstairs and slipped into her father's study, turned on the computer and scanned the wanted ads on a number of job sites. She filled out a few job search résumés and dreamed of the job she was going to find. She hoped it was far away from Angleton, not much marketing work around here. The one job she found she enjoyed and reluctantly quit once Billy quit his job. He pestered her until she did. Skimming the job site 'you're a fool' echoed in her brain. Glancing at the clock that sat on the bookshelf in her father's study it was already 4:30 in the morning. Since the baby's birth, Tomorrow has had her days and nights backwards, but this day by far was the worst. She will be miserable the next day having to be at the courthouse by 10:00. Looking out the window a breeze stirred the bushes. She walked out the front door and the breeze was cooler than she expected. Scanning the sky, she looked for storm clouds. It was too dark to tell, but there was no lightning in the sky. She realized she hadn't been out this early for a long time, maybe ever. Maybe if she walked around the block, she would tire herself out and finally be able to fall asleep. Tomorrow stepped off the porch and walked down to the sidewalk. She has lived in this house since she was four, she can't really remember living anywhere else. It was a nice upper-class neighborhood. She knew her parents struggled to make the payments for years. Now it was easy sailing. Many of the houses around here have been bought and sold a number of times over the years. They stayed their roots running deep. She couldn't imagine having to move out of this place, her mother had furniture in every corner and ketch in every cranny.
Passing by houses of old friend's girls and guys, she hadn't seen in years or even know if they still lived in the same town. She wondered how that could be. Lifting her face to the wind felt good, maybe we will have an early fall. It was September after all. But this was south Texas and September was usually the hottest time of the year. A gust of wind whipped the leaves and dirt into the air inspiring Tomorrow to walk on. Two hours from now the heat will be oppressive and she will be hiding in the house.
Suddenly the need to poop hit her, she knew getting exercise always did work. The need to go home hit her just as quickly. Turning on her heels, she quickens her step in her quest to make it back home in time. She has had enough with dirty drawers. Across the street a dark figure moved behind a car catching her attention. Then another shadow darted a little further up the street. Deciding to turn this walk into a sprint another dark figure appeared to her left. Before she could pick up enough speed, a large man grabbed her arm, spinning her out of her forward momentum. He whipped out a large knife holding it to her neck as he held her to his chest. He stopped her in her tracks as the other two ran up to her. Tomorrow stood stick straight as the one handheld the knife to her neck and the other groped her breast. Obscene remarks flowing from his mouth, another grabbed her hips and made a crude comment about her nice ass. While the other one stood back and watched with a sickening grin on his face. The groping and rude remarks continued as they began to pull her towards a darker part of the street. She debated whether to scream or not when it dawned on her. "Billy put you up to this, didn't he," she demanded while planting her feet on the sidewalk defying their desire to pull her away.
"Did he offer to pay you ten thousand dollars to kill me? I'll give you fifteen not to kill me. I have more money than he does," she told them as they tried to drag her down the street.
"Come on guys I can pay better, and no one will be looking for you to put you in jail." One man stopped pulling and the others fought to keep going.
"You're going to give us fifteen thousand dollars to leave you alone?" He asked and they all stopped pulling on her.
"Yes, first I don't want to die, and that damn Billy can't get away with this. Come to my house at 10 o'clock that will give me enough time to go to the bank and get the money. Come on guys you don't want to do this for that jerk," Tomorrow said, sounding in control of the situation like she expected this to happen.
"Today, your house, at 10 o'clock and you will give us fifteen thousand to let you go," the knife wielding man asked.
"Yes, a much better deal than Billy offered, right?" Tomorrow said, nodding her head, praying he would agree.
"Right," the groper said and laughed. "Your house at ten. If you're not there we will get you the next time you come out the door."
"I'm not trying to screw you around; I just want this to stop. He can't keep finding people to attack me," she complained.
"Ok, we will be back," the knife wielding man said, bringing the knife to his side.
"Ok, just watch which house I go into, and I'll have your money for you. Just think, five thousand each. Let Billy rot in jail."
They ran off down the street and Tomorrow sprinted towards her house. She slipped in the front door, closing it quietly and leaned against it and flipped the lock. She wanted to cry, but it had to wait for later. Checking the time on the clock on the TV in the living room this all happened in less than thirty minutes. Taking the stairs two at a time she grabbed her phone and sat on her bed having to poop forgotten. "Gentry, I'm sorry to call so early."
"Tomorrow," he asked, clearing his head and throat of the early morning crud.
"Three men tried to kill me. But I talked them out of it," Tomorrow excitedly told him.
"What! How?" Gentry asked, still trying to understand what she was saying. Maybe she had a bad dream and thinks it was real.
"I was out walking, and these men attacked me. One had a knife at my throat. I think they planned to rape me and then kill me, but I told them I would give them fifteen thousand not to do that. I told them I had more money than Billy and they stopped and agreed and let me go," she said and started to cry.
"Oh sweetie, so you think this is Billy's doing."
"I do," she cried, "they stopped pawing at me when I brought up his name. I'm supposed to get the money for them and meet them at 10."
"Where?"
"Here at my house. They know where I live. It had to be Billy; otherwise, why would they be hanging out in front of my house."
"I don't know this is crazy," he said.
Tomorrow could hear the sheets moving and him getting out of bed, "I'm sorry for waking you."
"No don't be, my alarm is going to go off in less than a minute," he said as he stood, "did they hurt you?"
"No, just scared me," she told him looking around for cuts in her mirror.
"That is good. OK, so you're telling me that three men came to kill you, and you talked them into meeting you at your house in less than four hours and you will give them fifteen thousand dollars."
"Yes, I said Billy was paying you ten. I will give you fifteen thousand and no one has to go to jail or die," Tomorrow offered.
"Did they say Billy was paying them?"
"No, it just seemed to be implied," Tomorrow said she was back under control of her emotions.
"Ok Sweetie let me get with Mullen's and Flusher one of us will call you within the hour. Do not open your door to anyone but me. Tomorrow, do you hear," he told her his anger and frustration mixed in fear came across in his voice.
"Yes, no one but you. But I need to get the money from the bank, it opens at 9:00."
"Don't worry about that now we will handle that."
"Thanks Gentry, I know this is asking a lot from you. My next call was supposed to be for a hookup, not trouble."
"Tomorrow, never feel you can't call me, hook up or not I care about you so call any time."
"Ok, let me go wake my mother up and tell her what is going on."
"Sounds good. Tomorrow, why were you out walking at 5:30 in the morning?"
"Because it was nice out and I couldn't sleep. I have had my days and nights backwards since Today gave birth. I thought a nice walk would make me sleepy."
"Sweetie, you will have the deposition at 10 o'clock tomorrow, how are you going to be fresh for that when you should be asleep."
"Well, it looks like I will be up all day today. So, I will sleep tonight and be back to the way it should be for a sane person soon."
"You're not crazy, Today having her baby messed you up."
"You know it, so will I see you later?" Tomorrow asked.
"I can tell Mullen you want me there."
"Do that I would like to see you," she told him, and she would like to hide behind him too. Her life is getting too crazy, she needs a break.
"Ok, later, let me get on to the station and see what Mullen is going to do with this new information," he told her musing over this new news. If nothing else she kept things interesting.
Tomorrow tapped on her mother's door, it was now 7:00 am, a little early for her but not too bad. "Yeah, what is wrong?" She called out. Tomorrow felt bad, again, she was bringing her a problem.
"Mom, I hate to wake you, but" she said and walked into the room to explain the situation.
Scrambling from the bed to inspect her for damage, her mother slumps against the bed and listens to the rest of the story.
"So, Officer Strickland is going to call us probably by 7:30. They will know what to do," Tomorrow explained.
"Oh, my sweet baby you must have been so scared," her mother cooed as she held her.
Tomorrow lay wrapped in her mother's arms waiting for the phone or the doorbell to ring. The bell would scare the crap out of her. It wouldn't take much for them to kick that door in.
The phone rang first and Tomorrow scrambled to pull her phone from her pocket.
"Oh, Miss Jones will it ever end," a familiar voice asked.
"I don't know, but I thought it was over this morning."
"I'm sure you did. So, you set up your own sting."
"I guess, if that is what you call it. I just improvised and these stupid guys fell for it."
"Do you really think they will come back?" Mullen asked.
"Yes, they seemed dumber than dirt. I can't believe Billy is still trying to kill me."
"Maybe he is dumber than dirt too and thinks if you don't go to the deposition, he will be free."
"Would he be?" She asked with an unknowing shriek.
"No, and I thought he understood we had him. Now in case these guys are really that dumb this is what we are going to do," Detective Mullen told her.
Tomorrow listened with a slight grin. She was already so tired those little sparkles filled her eyes as she showered. She hoped she could pull this off and then sleep until morning. They left the house, leaving the back door unlocked.
In plain clothes, an officer parked his personal car along the neighboring streets and walked up the back way. The 911-call center had been alerted to ignore "suspicious men" calls around Peggy Jones's neighborhood.
Officer Strickland slipped in the back door and roamed around. He had been in this house five times and never made it past the living room. Cluttered but clean he checked the refrigerator for leftovers or a soda. He rushed out so quickly this morning he had no breakfast. The least Peggy could do is feed him. Finding a store-bought rotisserie chicken. He popped the leg off on one side, it looked like they only ate one breast. "No wonder they are so thin, only half a chicken for two people."
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Mullen asked.
"She owes me for all the crap I have put up with from her." Gentry downed the leg and washed his hands.
"Ok, let's stage this," Mullen said and had Gentry posted outside to the right of the garage since he was well fed. Five officers waited inside for the garage door to open heralding the ladies return and the sting is hopefully on. Five other officers waited in their squad cars on fringe streets waiting to be called in if they had a problem. Whether they are working for LeMoine or not, attacking a woman with a knife on the street will get them time for sure.
Peggy drove Tomorrow to the bank and waited as she ran in. Cashing a check for a hundred and taking a stack of deposit slips she stuffed it all into the small clutch to look like she had money. Receiving dirty looks from the tellers, she smiled and left the bank.
"All I know is I have their money; I want the crap to stop. It is up to them to come and get it," Tomorrow called back to her mother as they walked into the house and closed the overhead garage door.
Safely inside again Mullen walked toward Peggy and Tomorrow whispered the plan again. Number one Tomorrow needs to get them to walk into the house and duck down, so she doesn't get hurt.
She can't wait to duck down and plans to stay there. Standing at the front door, she envisioned how to accomplish that.
At 10:00, the bell rang, and she took a deep breath and opened the door. "Thank you for doing this for me, I got your money right here." She said, leaving the front door wide open so they could see in. Two walked in looking around the place, but one stood at the door watching warily. Gentry slipped around the side and waited for the skittish one to bolt. He hoped it would be in his direction. He didn't feel like running at this time in the morning, it had to be working on ninety already.
Tomorrow passed the clutch to the knife wielding man as he followed her into the house. He didn't look as scary in the daytime. He squeezed the purse, impressed with the girth. Peggy's bedroom door opened, and Tomorrow dropped to the floor. Her dropping and the door opening caught the men's attention not knowing which way to look they found themselves surrounded by men holding guns. The one at the door ducked back and ran into what he thought was a brick wall. Doing his thumb thing Officer Strickland slipped cuffs on him and spun him around. Looking in the doorway the others were on the ground. He saw Tomorrow on the ground, smiling at him.
"You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent," Gentry told the man he held.
Peggy came out of the kitchen. "Now do I have my house back?"
"Yes, I just need to get a statement from Tomorrow, and she can get some rest," Mullen told them.
Still lying on the floor, she thought she might stay there for a while. The thought of standing kind of overwhelmed her or maybe everything she just went through has caught up to her. Passing his prisoner to a waiting officer Gentry slipped in the house and knelt next to Tomorrow. "Do you need some help?" He asked jokingly.
"I think I'm done," she told him as she began to shake, and tears filled her eyes. She had been brave long enough.
"Come on sweetie and point the way to your room," Gentry told her as he lifted her up in his arms, "she is exhausted mentally and physically. I think her statement will have to wait," he informed his superiors.
Tomorrow pointed up the stairs. "Of course," he teased, holding her tight he carried her up to her room, laid her out on her bed and pulled her shoes off, covered her, tucked his hands in his pockets and smiled.
"You're not going to help me with my jeans," she teased with a little wiggle of her hips.
"No, remember you need to work on yourself," Gentry reminded her.
"You're right. This worked out well. Better than I expected."
"Me too, no one hurt, no shots fired, that was a good take down. You need to sleep now." Placing a kiss on her cheek, he pulled the drapes to darken the room. It was 11:00 in the morning and they were done and so was she.
*
Dante was up early, he showered, shaved, and was ready to meet the woman who would decide his and his daughter's fate. He couldn't have done more except bake cookies. If he had them, he would have. Sitting in the middle of his living room rolling back and forth in his chair, he had thirty minutes to wait. Waiting was something he has been doing a lot lately. He had always been a doer; he waited for nothing. One miss step, one moment of inattention and the life he knew was gone. It was not even that, he didn't do anything wrong, the guy above him on the rig was the inattentive one. The simple task of securing a pulley had eluded him. Something they did a hundred times a day, it slipped from his hand and found Dante's head. He didn't blame the guy, it could have been him dropping it on his head, but as luck had it, it was not. A moment without a hard hat was his downfall. His only saving grace was it was not a hardhat area. He is sure that has changed already. They probably had to wear them 24-7 on the rig now.
He heard a car door shut out in front of his apartment. Something he didn't hear often around here at this time of day. He appeared to be the only person who didn't work. Another closing door brought him out of his fog. Glancing at the clock Angie hung on the wall by the kitchen, he realized it was time, and he had no idea where the thirty minutes went. A quick knock on the door and Dante's heart began to pound.
He opened the door, and a pretty young woman stood at his door, but the prettier younger one in her arms got his attention. She dove into his arms with a squeal with delight clinging to his neck.
"Daddy," she cooed, almost like a prayer. He hugged her tightly and smiled up at the social worker. "I didn't realize you were bringing her today," he said as he pushed his wheelchair back with his legs so she could enter.
"Well, I wanted to see her reaction to you. She was very reserved with her grandmother. I wanted to see if she was just a shy girl or if she didn't like her grandmother that much."
"Well, what do you think now?" Dante asked, turning Mandy in his lap. She cupped her hands on his cheek smiling. "I know what I think of her grandmother, but I haven't seen her since Amanda was born. And I didn't like what I saw the first time. I'm grateful that she was willing to keep Amanda for a while. However, honestly, I don't want her there. The second-hand smoke alone could kill her. You can smell it all over her," Dante told her wishing he could smell the little girl smell she use to have.
"I know I told Miss Hollis not to smoke around her but," she said and raised her hands in an, I give up gesture.
"I know, like talking to the wind," Dante said, turning Mandy half upside down and making her giggle.
"I see you have a few things for her already," Helen nodded her head towards the area Dante set up for Mandy.
"Oh Yes Ma'am, I called a friend, and she has a granddaughter who is four. Apparently, she and her daughter have a problem with shopping, and this is just some of the stuff she has outgrown," Dante told her as he turned his chair, and Mandy got a look at all the pretty stuff that waited for her. Scrambling from his lap, she ran to the bed and touched the pink footboard and turned and smiled at him. "Baby if you look in the bottom drawer there are toys for you."
She walked to the dresser and looked back at her daddy, not sure of what to do. He rolled towards her as she stepped back, he pulled the drawer open, and she rushed to see what he had in there. Dante chuckled at her as she pulled everything out and sat on the floor to inspect each item as he had for her.
"I think that will keep her busy for a few minutes."
"I think you're right," Helen said, smiling at the expression on Mandy's face.
"Please come in and have a seat. Can I offer you coffee or tea?"
"No, but you could show me around."
"Sure, not much to see. My plan is to put up a curtain to block off this area so Mandy can have some privacy," he said as he rolled by towards his room. "My long-range plans are to see if I can find a house and have more room for both of us."
He rolled into his room and backed up so she could enter.
"Nice, good size room," she said, noticing the pull up bar over his bed.
"So, what is the prognosis on your walking again?" Helen asked.
"It is good, according to the therapists. I can stand but getting my legs to move where I want them to has been difficult. But my arms were the same a few months ago. Apparently, my injury was right on the part of my brain that handled those movements. My hands are good now, just a little hesitation sometimes, but I just will them past that." He looked at Mandy, she was standing at the door looking sad. Reaching out she ran to his arms a little doll hanging from her hand.
"What is the matter sweetie, you think I left you? Not going to happen baby," he hugged her tightly and she settled in his lap.
"My therapist is bringing some parallel bars over in a few days for me to practice on and to get my strength back. It may be hard to believe, but I used to be forty pounds heavier and all muscle. I used to turn many a pretty girl's head."
"And now."
"I mean, would you be interested in a man in a wheelchair."
"Mr. Cabot, you're still a handsome man, don't give up on that part of your life." She gave him a sad smile and turned. "You only have a shower. Any idea how Amanda will react to a shower?"
"I know and I was thinking about that. I was thinking that maybe a small plastic swimming pool that I could fill from the shower would work. When she is finished, I can dump it and set it to the side."
Helen smiled, "I think it would be perfect."
If he didn't know, better he would think she was flirting with him, but that pretty diamond ring on her hand tells him she is taken. He would be a fool to flirt with her.
"I know you are struggling right now, but do you have food?"
"I do come with me," he rolled into the kitchen and opened the cabinets. He had food, but dishes were in short supply. She made note of that. He rolled back to the dresser and opened the top drawer and pulled out clothes for Mandy. Showing her, he was prepared for her to come and stay with him.
"Ok Mr. Cabot I will make my report and suggest to the judge that he place Amanda with you. I can't guarantee he will do that, but she will do well with you. I have no concerns at all with this arrangement."
"Thank you," he told her, holding Mandy's head to his chest. She sat contently holding the doll and enjoying the attention.
"Come on Amanda we have to go," she said, reaching to pick her up. Amanda crossed her arms in defiance, "No, my Daddy."
"I will bring you back tomorrow sweetie, if all goes well."
"NO, NO, NO," she screamed and clung to his neck.
Dante scooped her up and held her so she could see his face.
"Sweetheart, you have to go with her for now, but tomorrow we will be together no more grandma just you and me OK."
Big tears rolled down her face as tears came to his eyes. He hugged her and whispered, "this will work out baby, I promise."
Helen reached for her again. She hated this part of the job. She felt that all she did was rip children from parent's arms.
He listened to his daughter's cries until the last door on the car closed.