Chapter Forty-Six
Silence ensued and Kelley clenched his jaw. He'd planned on remaining in control of his emotions but Charles just had a way of riling him up. He could feel his emotions settle as Charles stared at him with a mixture of emotions in his eyes. It was all a ruse though, Kelley didn't believe that Charles had any remorse, not for one second.
Tears had gathered in Laura’s eyes as she listened to the pain in Kelley’s voice and she lowered her head and discreetly tried to wipe them away. It did nothing to quell Kelley's anger and resentment towards her. She might be Charles' victim but in his eyes, she chose this life, chose to stay with him and there were certain things Kelley just couldn't forgive.
“Don’t make this more difficult than it already is, Kelley. What will it take for you to leave this thing alone, to not testify?”
Kelley watched Charles intently, tamping down his sudden anger that Charles was choosing to stand by Petey Johnson. “You’ve got nothing I want.”
Charles smirked and Kelley felt another chill creep down his spine. “Don’t I? I’ve got Laura and Marley under my grip.”
Kelley stiffened instantly, not wanting to believe that Charles would use them to get Petey out of this. What did Jack and Carla Johnson have on Charles? There had to be something, something so terrible that Charles would play this card. Was he really this cold and unfeeling? Could Charles really hurt his wife and daughter to help Petey?
“Are they blackmailing you?”
“That’s not important, Kelley. How can I make your life easier in return for your silence?”
Kelley sat quietly for a few moments, his resolve steeling. Juliana didn’t deserve this and Petey certainly deserved to be punished. He couldn’t let Charles manipulate his silence, no matter what he had to offer.
“I’m not interested. Petey’s going to jail, where he belongs.” Kelley stood up from his seat and Charles shook his head sadly and smiled.
“Sit down, Kelley. I’m not done yet.”
Kelley stopped but he didn’t sit down, wouldn’t give Charles the satisfaction of obeying him. Charles sighed and took a sip from his glass of wine before continuing. “If you don’t back off from this I’ll expose your mother’s biggest secret.”
Laura’s eyes widened and her head snapped up towards Charles. “Charles! You promised!” The panic in her voice had new anger flaring to life inside of him.
“What secret?” Kelley sat down without thinking and Charles smiled victoriously.
“Seventeen years ago, Laura …”
Laura pushed her chair back harshly and it toppled backwards as she glared at Charles. “No! You can’t tell him! You promised me!”
Charles’s smile was filled with gleeful destruction. “Your mother killed someone. I have the proof and all it will take is one phone call for her to go to prison for the rest of her life. Is that what you want, Kelley? I’m sure I can find the time to raise Marley.”
“You bastard! You said if I married you you’d get rid of that video. I kept my promise!”
Kelley sat there perplexed. Murder had no statute of limitation. If Kelley testified on behalf of Juliana then Laura would go to jail. She wouldn’t survive jail, Kelley knew that. She was too broken down, too weak to come out unscathed on the other side.
“What will it be, Kelley? Your silence or your mother in jail?”
“Divorce.” Kelley had whispered the one word and Charles leaned forward.
“Excuse me?”
“My silence in exchange for the evidence and you set her free. I want you to divorce her, give her a settlement so she’s comfortable and you look like the hero to your friends. The man that kept Petey Johnson out of jail.”
“Kelley …” Laura’s eyes were wide and she stifled another sob with a closed fist to her mouth.
“Done.”
“She keeps the house too. You prefer city living and your penthouse at the hotel.”
Charles smiled and nodded his head. “Like I said, you always were smart.”
“I’ll have my lawyer call yours to start the proceedings.”
Charles laughed and for a fleeting moment, he looked proud. “There’s the boy I raised. I’ll call Noel when I get to the hotel.”
“This is the last time you threaten my mother with anything. After tonight she’s free of you, you’ve got enough money to keep her in the lifestyle you made her accustomed to. I’m sure any court will agree since she’s always been a good wife to you, even with her dark, filthy secrets.”
“You have my word, Kelley. Now I must take my leave, my mistress will be thrilled to hear she’s no longer just a mistress.”
Charles stood up from his seat at the head of the table and walked to the large open doors. He stopped and turned slowly. “I’ll do you one better, Kelley. Marley can stay here too since she’s not biologically my daughter either.”
“And I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
Charles nodded his head again and left the dining room. Kelley lowered his head into his hands and he swallowed the rising bile down. He was no better than Charles. At that precise moment, it felt like he had betrayed Juliana’s memory.
Kelley remained seated until Charles had descended the stairs and left without saying a word, a suitcase trailing behind him. Kelley felt sick to his stomach and stood up abruptly. On the foyer table lay a memory stick and he pocketed it.
“Kelley … I’m … thank you.”
Laura couldn’t look him in the eye and Kelley turned around to find her in the doorway, her hands once again clasped in front of her. Kelley wasn’t sure if he even loved his mother like he should and now he’d sold his soul to the devil.
“You’re free now, Mom.”
“With him gone … will you come home?”
“No. I can’t look at you now but I won’t let him hurt you, I was raised better than that.”
Laura’s gasp was audible enough for Kelley to hear but in that moment he didn’t care because the guilt was filling everything inside him.
“I’ll look after her, I promise.”
