Chance's jaw fell open. "Okay. So first off, how am I supposed to successfully break away with his composition book unscathed, let alone safely get it to you?"
"Well, you were able to break away to come harass me, weren't you?" Faith retorted.
"Yeah, only because he and most of his goons are on a collecting run right now. And second, even if I did get that far, what would you even do with it? How would you really know the police officer you show that to doesn't secretly report to Aaron?"
"I can't tell you, except that I have a plan. You'll find out soon enough. Anyway, once you have it, call me. I'll meet you at the mall where there's plenty of people and we'll be more difficult to single out." Not wanting to give any more details than necessary, Faith then changed the subject and asked, "Is your number still the same as before, so I'll know it's you once you tell me that you have the book?"
Chance nodded, but Faith would still insist upon doing a test call to make sure he was being honest. Upon receiving confirmation that he wasn't lying to her, she began to feel a bit safer.
"I'll do the best I can," Chance told her. "Not just for me, but because the idea of Aaron hurting either my wife or my little girl makes me sick to my stomach. He used to be okay when we were roommates, but now he just seems like a psycho."
"Well," Faith said hesitantly, remembering her and Aaron's strange conversation the night Rowan left, "I could be wrong about this, but...if it makes it any better, somehow I don't think Aaron would hurt a child. I think he draws the line at people that young."
"You don't think he would?" Chance inquired, some ridicule returning to his voice. "Just like you thought Rowan would never hurt you? Yeah, I don't think I'll take any chances based on your thoughts."
For someone in such a desperate situation, he really knew how to be arrogant. And perhaps most maddening of all...he had a point. "I see compassion continues to be a foreign language to you, at least when it comes to people outside of your precious wife and kid," Faith retorted. "But that's alright, because I understand this isn't about compassion--especially if you leave Happy Scoops empty-handed today. You hold up your end of the deal, and I'll hold up mine. That's all that really matters to me." Faith was planning to notify the S.A.S. about Chance and his family's situation regardless, but it was rather satisfying watching him clam up immediately after she said that, as he now only gave her a silent glare. Opening the front door and locking eyes with him, she would curtly add, "Don't disappoint me, Chance."
"Alright, I'm going," Chance muttered. "We probably won't have to see each other again, once we get this over with."
Faith nodded emotionlessly, hoping the risk she was taking with him would be worth it. In the meantime, however, it was time for her to go get back what was hers.
"It's a miracle," Faith's mom exclaimed. "Do you have any idea the things that could've happened if it hadn't been found it in time?"
"I have an inkling," Faith replied as she showed her parents what she had just collected from the police station. Even knowing how she'd gotten it back, her shoulders felt a bit squarer than usual as she showed it off. It's okay. Brooke said to keep it, so technically I shouldn't have to feel that bad, right?
"I'd sure like to meet whoever found it so we could thank them in person," Mark commented. "It is troubling though, to think that they found the gun but not Rowan."
"I know," Faith agreed, trying to keep it vague. "I'd say they're pretty close to finding Rowan too, though."
"Oh--have you heard something?" Holly asked hopefully.
"Well, no. It's just a theory of mine, that's all. They really wouldn't tell me much when they called me about it. But honestly, I feel like getting this back is already a step in the right direction."
"You can say that again," Mark admitted. "If I'm gonna be completely honest, I hadn't thought you would ever get that gun back."
"Yeah." Faith began wracking her brain for a subject change, since she was growing increasingly uncomfortable from being reminded of the details. "Oh, and we'll still do that family reunion too. I just need to finish a few more things up."
"It's no rush, honey," Mark assured her.
"Well," Holly chimed in, seeming a bit more impatient, "just let us know when you are ready, so I'll know when to start planning and making phone calls."
"What is it you're trying to finish up, exactly?" her dad now asked curiously.
Well, let's see. I need to make sure Rowan gets safely into a jail cell or padded room of some kind, assuming he's still even alive, not to mention trying to keep Sherm and myself out of Aaron's crosshairs in the meantime. And there's also that bullet hole that's still in my living room wall that I need to patch up before the next person moves in there... "Well, I say 'finishing up', but I mostly just need to be in a good emotional state for something like that first."
Fortunately though, she didn't have to say any more about the topic, since she would soon feel her phone vibrate in her hand from a text from Sherm. There were no actual words however, just a video file from him. "Oh," Faith said aloud, pointedly looking down at her phone. "I'm sorry. I wish I could talk longer, but Sherm really needs to meet me about something."
"About what?" Holly asked, wanting a detailed affidavit as usual.
"He won't say. But either way, I should get back to him. He wouldn't want to meet up if it wasn't important."
Fortunately, Faith managed to get away without her parents prodding any further, and the entire way home Faith could only obsessively wonder what could be in that video. Not having even set her purse down once she was back inside her house, she immediately clicked on the little white forward-pointing triangle in the middle of the thumbnail, which consisted of mostly darkness. The first voice she heard was her friend's:
"So, first off--I just wanna say I'm really glad you chose to meet me here. Are you sure I can't get you anything? I hear the ice cream here is really good."
"Oh, I couldn't. I'm a little nervous, really..." came what sounded like Melanie's voice.
"Hey--so am I. Since that day, I've been doing a lot of thinking. Calling the cops like that was pretty overdramatic on my end, and I feel like I should've just listened to what you had to say." After a few seconds of silence, Sherm continued, "Is there anything I can do? I mean, do you have anybody to go home to? Family, friends?"
"I don't really have much of a family, except two brothers. One I never talk to unless I have to, and another one that probably won't live much longer." The resignation in Melanie's voice was unsettling to say the least.
"I'm sorry to hear that. What happened with your brothers? If you're comfortable sharing, I mean."
"I..." Melanie began to speak, but then there was another long pause. Faith tightened her grip on her phone, all of this quickly evolving from unsettling to outright frustrating. And her frustration only doubled once she heard Melanie finally continue. "...No. It's too late. There's nothing you can do. I mainly just wanted to hear you apologize to me face to face."
"But I feel like that's not good enough," Sherm persisted. "Please...let me make this right. I can be your friend, like you wanted before. I'll even let you come over to my place."
"Ugh, I don't even know why I approached you before," Melanie said, her voice audibly hardening. "I already have friends who've helped me way more than my brothers--or you--ever could. Either way, I need to get to work. And if you keep following me and prying into my personal life, I'll make you wish you never met me."
"Okay, so basically you're saying there's nothing I can do to fix any of this?"
"Nothing--except maybe watch your back from now on."
With that, the video ended, and Faith now spotted a new text from Sherm, simply reading: "Well, that went swimmingly. I wanted to try and get her license plate assuming she drove herself here, but I didn't wanna push my luck anymore."
"Good choice," Faith responded almost immediately. "She might not have said much, but it just might be enough for your friends at the police station to take seriously. Once you're home and safe, I have a lot to tell you." The tone of her message was considerably calmer than how she was feeling. That girl needed serious help, and she hoped it wouldn't be Sherm who would soon be needing help himself.
But she wouldn't have the luxury of thinking about it for long as her phone began to ring, and it wasn't from Sherm. Hm. Maybe Chance really is serious about this. "...Hey."
"Hey, I've got it. I'm at the mall now."
"Wonderful," Faith exhaled with relief. "But before I head that way, I will need you to send me a picture of yourself and the background so I know this still isn't a trick, or that Aaron hasn't found you out."
"Are you for--? You know what, fine. I'll send a picture. But then you really need to hurry up, before he finds me out for real."
"Once I have the picture, I'll be there ASAP."
Upon receiving the picture, as well as a text with details on what part of the mall to meet him in, Faith noted that while the background of decorative plants and an escalator full of people looked pleasant enough, the reluctant grimace on Chance's pale face wouldn't at all look out of place in a medieval-era painting.
Ugh...paintings. Faith once again found herself thinking of Rowan, and she couldn't help but wonder if he would make another painting ever again, let alone a happy one.
Faith was somewhat surprised that Chance wanted to meet at a Hot Topic store, having initially pictured him in some upscale shop that sold things like ties or colognes. But then again, neither of them were here to shop, and maybe Chance wanted to meet somewhere that others might not think to look for him, which would ultimately seem to be the case as she finally spotted him pretending to browse the band t-shirts while clad in his typical button-down shirt and dress pants.
Upon seeing her, Chance gave her an impatient look as if to say, 'Finally.' But before Faith could even retort with anything, he shoved something into her hands and whispered only three words: "They know. Run."
Faith didn't need to be told twice, taking only a second to glance inside the book he had just given her to confirm it was what she had asked for before stuffing it inside her jacket and bolting for the nearest exit. It was kind of funny, really. This place was far from dark or mysterious between the upbeat music and the smell of cinnamon buns in the air, but when she ran fast enough, the brightly-colored neon store signs were almost like the shiny broken shards from her recent dream, the colors floating past her in wavy streams as she fled for somewhere she could breathe again.
In her haste to get outside, she failed to see where she was going and found herself bumping into someone who was about her size and must have been going as fast as she was. "Watch where you're going, would you?!" Faith heard the figure complain as she tried to reorient herself before being met with a pair of narrowed, made-up cat eyes. "Faith?"
"Tracy..." Thankfully, she hadn't dropped the book from underneath her jacket. "I'm so sorry. My mom's just had to go to the emergency room so I'm really in a hurry." Maybe the lie was unnecessary, but if she had continued running without saying a word, Tracy might be more likely to follow her. After all, Chance wasn't specific on just how much they knew.
Tracy only gave Faith a wary look, as though she hadn't even heard her. "Why are you clutching your side like that?"
"Look, I'm just not feeling well and neither is my mom. If you don't mind, I really need to get going." With that, Faith quickly walked away and, still feeling Tracy's eyes on her, fumbled her phone out of her purse and pretended to answer it. "...Hey, dad? Yeah, I'm on my way there now. What was the room number again?" Faith paused a few seconds, as though waiting for the person on the other end to answer. "Okay. I'm headed that way now." Hopefully that will throw her off a while, Faith thought before breaking out into another run for her car.
On the way to her SUV, she saw the car that Tracy must have driven here--a red one with that same "I Love Happy Scoops" decal on the windshield, though she was in too much of a hurry to notice what kind of car it was. If any car she saw had that sticker on it, she would be staying away from it from now on.
Upon finally reaching her car, she decided her next stop would be the parking lot of the grocery store that she and Rowan used to frequent, where it would be more difficult for the wrong person to overhear what she was about to tell Brooke. As much as she wanted to pause and check for an update from Sherm, she knew she needed to get a move on and fast. However, that was easier said than done as apparently everyone else in town had decided to come to the mall today, and were needing to leave the parking lot the same time that she did.
Once there were finally no other cars passing behind her, she backed out of her parking space...only for her stomach to begin tying itself into a knot when she saw the vehicle behind her. Faith wanted to think it was merely a coincidence, but there was only one real explanation she could think of: Tracy was following her, and Faith knew she couldn't have her seeing that she was heading anywhere besides the hospital.
It would ultimately take her speeding up through a few yellow lights that normally would have been too close to turning red for her to want to risk it, but eventually it seemed Faith had lost her as she made a swift turn into the grocery store parking lot, found a place to park, and once again whipped out her phone, first to see what the latest text from Sherm read: "I'm home now. Brooke and the S.A.S. should see the video any minute now. I can't believe I just did that... But anyway, what did you wanna tell me about that Chance guy?"
Faith held back a relieved smile from crossing her face as she read Sherm's message. It wasn't time to smile yet, as there was still far too much to be done. However, when she tried to call Brooke there was no answer, and Faith figured she must be on duty right now. However, if Brooke wouldn't answer, she knew some people who likely would. The S.A.S.'s card that she pulled out of her purse had gotten a few wrinkles by now, but displayed the phone numbers just as clearly as before.
This time, she would hear a voice she hadn't heard before, a soft-spoken male voice being the one to answer her call. "You've reached the S.A.S. How can we help?"
"I need you to get me in contact with Officer Brooke. If not, I have something I need you to get to her before it's too late. I have evidence that could finally get one of your enemies in some serious trouble, so it will be worth your while."
"Okay--who are you?" the voice now wavered.
"My name is Faith Salter, but that doesn't matter. Ask Sky or Admiral--they've met me before. The only thing that matters is, I have something that can help you and the rest of the S.A.S., though I'm not exactly comfortable driving around town with a certain composition book full of people Aaron Galanos has illegally loaned money out to. Now, if you'll tell me where Brooke is, I can--"
"I'll help you get in touch with her," the man interrupted, seeming to change his tone completely upon hearing that new information. "I'll have to find out whether this is a good time for her or not. If not, we'll have to find a different way."
"Oh--has she told you where she is?"
"You'll hear from me again within the next half hour on what to do next. Just stay close to your phone."
"The next half hour? But--" A sudden disconnect tone from the other end would soon cut her off. What about Chance? Faith thought, hoping he and his family would still have that kind of time.
Stressing over the situation, however serious it was, wasn't going to solve anything, so perhaps while she waited she could do a bit of long-overdue maintenance on her windshield. After all, the sooner she removed that sticker, the harder her car would be to spot.
Hastily placing the composition book inside the glove compartment and stepping out of the car, she gave the innocent-looking sticker one final glare before taking out her debit card and setting to work with prying it from the windshield's glass. She hoped she could get this done before anyone around her bothered to notice and say anything about it, but there would ultimately be a cost to choosing a high-traffic area to finish carrying out her plan.
"Oh my. That's a big sticker you've got there," an elderly lady commented as she loaded her few groceries into the trunk of her car which happened to be in the space beside Faith's.
"Oh, I know," Faith replied almost immediately. "It's so tacky, isn't it? That's why I'm taking it off."
The lady shook her head. "No, I wouldn't say tacky. I figured it was for a business of some sort. What is Happy Scoops, anyway?"
Meeting her eyes, Faith shook her head while praying that this really was just a normal sweet old lady, and not someone spying for Aaron. "It's nothing, really. Some people I know tried to get a business idea started up and asked me and a few of their friends to promote it using these stickers, but sadly it looks like it's gonna go under any day now."
"Aww," the lady mumbled ruefully. "I am sorry to hear that, but unfortunately that's how it is with so many of these perfectly good business ideas that never seem to make it off the ground."
"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Faith said with a nod, keeping her tone as nonchalant as possible as she finished removing the sticker.
Finally, the lady reached up to close her trunk and sighed, "Oh, well. I've gotta go home and feed my cats." Faith thought she was finished talking at first and was about to give a polite goodbye, but then the lady continued. "I've got this one Persian at the house. When I first brought her home she wanted nothing to do with me, but now we're just the best of friends."
Nodding politely again, Faith only half listened while wondering how she would place this hideous decal inside her car without it getting mangled up or stuck to anything else, in case Brooke wanted it for evidence later.
"Now my tabby, on the other hand..."
Faith had started to wonder if she would be stuck in this parking lot forever listening to cat stories, when she suddenly began to hear a relieving chiming sound come from her purse. It's about time. "Hey--I'm sorry, but this is a call I've been waiting on," Faith now interjected, noting that this was the second time today that she'd been saved by the bell. "I've gotta take this."
"Oh, I understand, hon. Well, you have a nice day now."
"Yeah, you too," Faith mumbled as she hurriedly re-entered the car, carefully laid the sticker on the front passenger seat with the adhesive side facing upwards, and scrambled to answer her phone. "Hello?"
"Faith--listen to me carefully. I need you to come to the hospital, at the front waiting room specifically. Look for a young man with blond hair and a gray face mask. Just act like you know him once you spot him. He will know the room number you need and take you to Brooke, and then we will take care of the rest."
Faith took a sharp, anticipatory breath in. She hadn't thought she would be heading to the hospital for real, but at least it wasn't for the reason she'd given to Tracy. She and her family would be safe, once she got rid of this evidence. "I'm on my way."
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