Chapter 158 - Plan In Motion And The Demons That Come

Lance

"You don't have to involve yourself in this. I will handle it, just like I always have.'' He insists. For about fifteen minutes, I have been trying to convince Patrick that I am only here to help.

That maybe this might work.

"I know. There is a chance that this will fail and only cause more problems but there is no harm in trying. You can't live your life running. You need to know now and let this all just end.''

That is the truth. This must be eating him up. For a whole year, he has been running. Running away from the people that were supposed to protect him. If I can find out the truth. Know once and for all if the man is still alive. He will finally be free.

Even if he is dead, knowing for sure will definitely make him feel lighter. That weight that he has been carrying on his shoulders would finally be off. He will finally be able to stand tall.

"You don't understand. She has the power to completely ruin my life. She could go to the cops." He cries into the phone.

I take a deep breath because I am not the best at comforting people, hell I don't even know how to but I know he needs this. So, I have to be there for him. So many times, Patrick has been there for me. he has talked to me, made me smile in times that I felt completely broken and conflicted.

This is the time for me to repay all his kindness.

This is the time to be a good friend to him.

"Even if she calls the cops. There is no proof that you did this. it has been a year. She could've called the cops a year ago. If she knew all this while, all the money you have given her is proof. Proof that she was in on it. there is more to this than what you think and don't you want to know?'' I ask him.

I just found out about this and I am already curious. I already want to know what happened that night.

"It won't be easy getting it out of her,'' he cries.

"We have to at least try. I want to help.''

He sighs into the phone. "I don't know what to say. I have kept this inside for so long. It scares me that you all know.''

"Your secret is safe with us. This is what friends do."

"Okay. What is the plan?''

*********************

"Hello.''

"Who is this?'' I hear her voice and my heart jolts in my chest. This could go wrong, or exactly the way I want it to.

"Am I speaking to Candice?' I ask my voice shaking. Jack looks at me. there is fear in his eyes. I don't want to have to regret this decision but it is the best thing to do.

"Yes, who am I on to?'' her voice is cold and detached.

Everything I have heard about her makes me hate her. I don't even have to know her but she is a monster. The only thing she has done is hurt her kid. The more she meets him, the more hurt he is.

"This is Lance. I met your son at a club once. He told me some things. They are all worrisome. I don't know if you are interested to hear them.'' I breathe out the plan.

Get her to think I know Patrick. Get her to think I am not on his side. I mean, not necessarily not on his side. Maybe more on the 'I am worried that he might have killed his father.'

This is actually the truth but if he did kill his father that night then we will have to re-strategize. Maybe Jack is right. It does seem unlikely that the man is dead. At least, Candice must know about it. It has been a year.

"What are you talking about,'' she blurts into the phone. Her voice is so loud. I look up at Jack, the phone in my grip. She is on speaker, so we can both hear her.

"I don't want to say this over the phone, maybe it would be best if I talk to you in person?'' I suggest.

I need to meet her in person, to get into this. We all need to know what happened that night. Patrick seems to think he killed his father but the more I get involved in this, the more I think there is more to this.

There is a reason why she hasn't called the cops or at least involved the police. Her husband has been missing for a year and her only means of finding him is extorting her son for money. How much more does she intend to collect from him.

"I don't have anything to say to anybody. If this is some plan of Patrick, let him know that he will regret it.''

Okay, this is not going well.

"I haven't spoken to Patrick about this. I know where your husband is. I know what happened to him.''

"You have no clue. You are fucking bluffing,'' she shouts into the phone.

I smile. This means I have her right where I want her. she is suspicious but I can get her where I want her.

"Patrick was drunk, he said a lot of things. I wanted to talk to you about it because he mentioned that you have been looking for your husband. I wanted you to be the first to hear the truth."

The best trick is to play dumb. She has been acting like she doesn't know what happened but to me, it seems like she knows a lot more than she is making it out to be. She knows what happened to her husband.

"What did he say?'' her voice tones down. I can sense the worry in the tone of her voice. My eyes meet Jack. There is a smile on his face. He can sense it too.

"I can't say it over the phone. I want to involve the cops. This is a confession to a crime but I needed you to know first."

All lies but the only way I can get to the bottom of this. the only way she would take me seriously. She is involved in this because she has known that her husband has been missing for a year and she didn't call it in. no matter what she says, this is as much her fault.

She is part of this.

"You don't need to call the cops. Where can I meet you?'' she asks her voice shaking.

I smile, feeling accomplished. This is exactly what I wanted. If she tries to get me to keep things hush. I will do the next phase of the plan. I give her details on where to meet and she ends the call after agreeing to meet in an hour.

"Wow, the more I listened, the surer I am that he is not dead.''

I nod "It seems like he is though. Like his dad is dead but there is more to the story."

From everything I gathered, I think something happened after Patrick left. Maybe he actually did kill the man but the mom must have come home. She must have found the body. There are things that happened that night that we are not aware of and I plan on finding out about it.

"You actually think so?''

I nod. "If that man is alive. He should have come looking for Patrick. You mentioned how villainous he was. He liked to control him.''

He nods.

"Come on, let's head over to meet this woman. I have a lot to do after this,'' I tell him, as I get up from the couch and grab my jacket from one of the chairs. Jack watches me as I put it on.

"You have no idea what this means to me,'' he exhales out.

"You know I will do anything for you. You are my brother. Forever until we are shriveled.'' I remind him of our pact. When we were kids, we made a pact. We would always have each other's back. I would never see him suffer and turn a blind eye and vice versa. He knows the things I would do for him.

"No time to be so sappy,'' he slaps my shoulder playfully. He is the one that started it but now he wants to change the topic. I know what Patrick means to him. He is a good person. I have liked him since I met him and I don't want him to continue suffering for the people that were supposed to protect him.

He needs a break.

I will gladly give him that.

"Come on,'' we both walk out of the door. My phone rings and it is an unknown number. I answer it immediately.

"Hey,''

I hear his voice and the warmth that comes with it melts my heart. Ford. There is a pain in his voice. it makes me feel hurt.

I don't know what to do.

"Hi baby,'' jack looks at me. I mouth out his name and he nods his head in understanding. He leaves me to have the conversation in private.

"Are you okay?''

"Yeah, I needed to talk to you. Your friend's cousin let me borrow his phone,'' he informs me. which just makes me sure that he will be the best person to get him out of there.

"I am going to get you out of there,'' I assure him even though I said I wouldn't. I don't want to give him hopes but I need him to have a little bit right now, especially with the way he sounds.

"The demons are back, I can't fight them off,'' he sighs into the phone.

My heart breaks.

"Please hold on. Don't let go yet. Don't give in.'' I beg him. I need him to be strong. I need him to hold on until I can get him out.

I will get him out.