That Day, Karen Deen [early readers .txt] 📗

must have heard about the shooting because he isn’t here at night, ever. All the people outside the gate, staring at me. The jacket they put around me, they pull over my head as I get escorted to a car, trying to hide me from the crowd. Then we’re moving. I closed my eyes; I just wanted it all to go away and hoped that I could wake up again to a normal day. But I know that is never going to happen again.” A single tear rolls down her cheek that I can see from where I’m sitting.

“Like fuck it won’t,” I mumble under my breath.

My fingers are racing over my phone with a hunch that has smacked me in the face listening to Asha.

Like I said, the smallest detail can be the final puzzle piece.

Kurt: Gardener at the Warringtons. Find him!

Ghost: Talk to me.

Kurt: New gardener who was shit at his job and his car was at the house that night.

Ghost: On it!

Jacinta says, “Thank you for your help. I’ll try my best in court.”

Asha looks exhausted as she says her goodbyes to Jacinta. For the first time I can see some emotion on Jacinta’s face. “I’ve got you, Asha. We will get them and make them pay. I don’t lose, and especially not to scumbags like them.” With that she opens the door and leaves without another word.

I pull Asha into my body and wrap her tightly in my embrace.

“I hope she’s right.” Her words are soft and hesitant.

“They say she’s the best, so we have to believe her.” Kissing the top of her head, I don’t say any more. We just stand there for a few moments.

Until her stomach growling makes us both pull back and burst out laughing.

“It’s your fault, all that exertion has made me hungry.” Her light slap on my chest breaks us both from the seriousness of Jacinta’s visit and where we are.

“I seem to remember you were lying back and I was the one doing all the work.” I smirk at her and jump backwards at the same time to avoid the next slap.

“You can be such a dick sometimes.”

“Yeah, but you love my dick,” I say, trying to keep a straight face and not laugh too hard.

“Oh my god, you did not just say that. How old are you?” Her hands are on her hips and she’s smiling at me.

“Old enough to get away with being a dick.”

“Seriously, that is enough dicks already.” Her little giggle tells me I’ve managed to break the mood from Jacinta’s visit.

“Oh, baby, there is never enough dick in your life.”

“Stop! You need to feed me.” Her voice is getting louder and stronger now.

“Feed you what, my dick?” I move to the other side of the table as she’s lunging for me.

“Kurt!”

My job here is done. Asha is laughing as she’s chasing me around the table. I’ll let her try for a few minutes and then she can win. Because I’m fucking hungry too, for food this time.

I’m lying in bed with Asha curled up by my side.

“Tomorrow is going to be the worst,” she says, her voice quiet and a little uncertain.

“Should I be offended you’re sick of my company?” I say, trying to lighten the moment.

“I’m just not looking forward to a day of waiting. Waiting for any news, waiting for the next day to get there, waiting for the day to be over. As much as I’m petrified, I just want court to be over, so I wish it was tomorrow.”

“I know, but it’s not, so we just have to find a way to occupy ourselves.” I squeeze her that little bit tighter.

“Doing what?” she innocently asks, being half asleep.

“Well, I have some ideas.” I wait for the reaction.

“I guess you better rethink those ideas, so they don’t involve being naked.”

“Oh, I can still fulfil my plans with clothes on.”

“Kurt, I’m serious.” And her voice is telling me she is.

“I know, baby, and I’m just joking. This is a tough time for you.”

“For both of us.” Her hand now slides to rest on top of my heart.

With that, her breathing starts to slow a little, and she drifts into a sleep that I’m not sure will last long, but I hope it will be enough to get her through tomorrow.

I know I’m a long way from sleeping. So many things are running through my mind.

I’m used to surviving on little rest from when I worked as an agent, and then it never got much better once I left.

Until Asha walked into my life.

She always tells me I’m the calm to her storm, but the truth is, she is my calm too.

Losing her just isn’t an option now.

ASHA

Kurt is trying everything possible to keep my mind off tomorrow.

We have watched television, done crosswords, played cards, talked about just random shit. But no matter what he tries, it’s always there.

Right in the front of my mind.

I know that the prisoners are being transported to Chicago tonight for holding before court tomorrow. My skin is crawling, knowing that they are this close to me. I might be in hiding, but that means nothing to these guys.

For fuck’s sake, they managed to infiltrate the WITSEC program, so nothing will stop them.

I’ve lost count how many times I’ve asked Kurt today to confirm my parents are still safe and happy.

We’ve spoken to Ghost a few times, and he even let me talk to Bessy and Cassie for a short while. It was probably the only time today that I wasn’t thinking about it, when Bessy was talking about what was happening in her world. What I wouldn’t give to be back in that world with her.

I can’t even manage to eat much today. My stomach is too churned up with nerves.

Kurt is trying to act as if he is composed and everything is under control, but he forgets I know him better than he knows himself now.

Something is going on, because he is constantly checking