Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Two
“Drink this.” Lee pushed a glass into his hand and Kelley emptied the contents. The Scotch burned down his throat but he welcomed the burn, needed it most probably. He had to get a grip on reality. He wasn't sorry that he'd killed Ernesto, only sorry that he hadn't hurt the man more. Ernesto had stolen Marley's innocence and Charles had helped him. The sick fuck had drugged her and allowed Ernesto to rape her.
Lee was dressed in different clothes now and Kelley shook his head. What the hell was wrong with him? Nothing made sense anymore. It did in a sick, twisted way but it also didn’t. He didn’t like where he was, didn’t want to be there. He needed space and a way to figure it all out. In that moment, Kelley didn't even want to live with everything he now knew.
“You should go. All of you.”
“Kelley, lie down. We’ve got you. Rest now,” Lee said.
“I don’t want your help! You should run as far as you can. Run while you still fucking can, before I ruin all of you,” Kelley said angrily and pushed past Lee into the study and locked the door. Kelley slid down against the door and lowered his head to his knees and cried. Everything was just too much.
There were knocks, voices tried to coax him out, others threatened and the landline rang every ten minutes. Kelley ignored it all and moved to the couch. He emptied the decanter of Scotch and drowned his sorrows.
At some point he stumbled to the study’s windows and looked down. Jumping wouldn’t help, it wasn’t high enough. He didn’t want to remember anymore. He should never have found that fucking memory stick. That last video just about killed him.
He picked up the phone and dialed Blaire’s number. Someone hammered on the door and he could see the door handle rattle as they tried it again. Kelley smirked as he looked at the door. The door was reinforced, too strong to break down.
“What’s up my fearless leader? I sent that video you requested and I've already forgotten that you asked for it,” Blaire said.
“Track this number,” Kelley said and recited the telephone number to Blaire. “I want a location. I’ll call you. Don’t speak to anyone else, got it?”
“Got it, Kelley. Is everything okay? Why do you need that video?”
“Just do it, Blaire.”
Kelley ended the call and dialed another number. Jesse answered after two rings. “Kelley.”
“Are you in the hallway?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll unlock the door for you, only for you. Send the rest away. I’m armed.”
“Kelley, what the fuck is going on?”
“Do you understand what I just said?”
“Yes, just me.”
Kelley walked towards the study door, unlocked it and opened it just big enough so he could look through. Jesse stood in front of the door and Kelley widened it enough for him to step through before closing it quickly and leaning against it as he locked the door.
“Kelley!” Lee screamed from the hallway as he pounded on the door again.
“You said you were armed,” Jesse said as he scanned the room.
“I lied.”
Jesse dragged his hands over his face and leaned on the edge of the desk. “Are you going to tell me what the fuck’s going on? They all think you've lost your mind. Lee mentioned suicide for fuck's sake, Kelley.”
“I need a ghost,” Kelley said.
Jesse clenched his jaw. “Why do you need a ghost?”
“There are three people that he needs to kidnap and secure in a location that can be cleaned easily. He makes his deposit, he gets paid and he disappears. My name’s not mentioned, at all.”
“And afterwards?”
“You don’t have to worry about that, Jesse. Can you help me or not?”
Jesse straightened up and walked towards Kelley. “Let me in. You have to let someone in. You’re going off the deep end here, Kelley. Let me have your back.”
“Jesse, there’s no going back after this. I killed a man today, I beat him to death because I lost my fucking mind. Lee’s darkness is nothing compared to the darkness that I am. I can’t do that to you. I can’t taint you with this. People will die and I’ll fucking smile when I put a bullet through each of their heads and then I’ll burn their bodies until there’s nothing left.”
“I’m tainted too, Kelley. That’s why I told Marley to leave because I’m dark too. You saw that in me and I saw that in you, that’s how this all started, with you and me. It was us against them. I don’t relish killing others, you know that but if it helps you with whatever demons you’re fighting now, then I’ll do it. I’ll do it for you.”
Kelley searched Jesse’s eyes. It was true, he had seen Jesse’s darkness, his battles. He’d heard it in his voice when he spoke about his first wife. Jesse was as scarred as he was. Jesse had fought back against the darkness and maybe, just maybe, they could kill that darkness together.
“Put this memory stick in that laptop and watch the videos.” He handed Jesse the memory stick and looked away.
Kelley walked back to the sofas and sat down. He didn’t want to see the look in Jesse’s eyes when his world came crashing down. He hadn’t needed to look at Jesse to know. He could feel the air shift, the disgust and anger that rolled off Jesse told him everything he hadn’t wanted to see.
“Kelley.”
He looked up at Jesse who now stood in front of him and their faces were inches apart. “Do you get it now? Do you see the darkness more clearly?”
“I’m with you, Kelley.”
“Are you sure? There’s no going back once we start on this road and I will be walking this road but I can walk it alone.”
“I saw a young boy, beaten to a pulp and I took him in. I cleaned him up and almost laughed at the relief on his face when he realized I hadn’t robbed him. That night while you slept and I stitched you up, I made a promise to myself. I promised that I’d always watch over you, no matter who you turned out to be. This is me keeping that promise.”
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