Chapter 74: CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE

Alex POV

The call shook me to my core.

“Did you miss me?”

What kind of sick joke was that.

As soon as I answered I knew straight away just by the sound of her voice who it was.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as soon as I heard her.

I hadn’t thought about Sarah until earlier today.

Telling Cassandra, the story of my childhood/ adolescence with her was the hardest thing I had done in a long time.

But to have her on the phone now was uncanny.

“I’m in town next weekend and I wanted to know if you wanted to meet up.”

“We have a lot to catch up on.”

I didn’t like the way she sounded when she said that.

“Meet me at your old place in the Hamptons.”

“Say around 12:30 ish.”

I couldn’t really say much.

I was too stunned to even comprehend a coherent thought.

“See you then.”

And the call ended.

I threw my cell on the couch and headed straight to the bottle of whiskey I had placed down to answer it.

I needed a drink.

More than one.

I couldn’t believe it.

After all this time.

All these years.

It had been what…

20 years since I last spoke or even gazed upon Sarah.

Our last encounter was how do you say…

Not the best.

We left each other on rocky terms.

If she was back God knows what she had brought with her.

I had to tell Jericho.

If I was on the hit list so, would he.

I walk back to the couch and grab for my cell.

I dial Jericho’s number and wait for the call to connect.

“What the fuck do you want you, slimy little prick.”

I knew he would react this way.

“Jericho, I need to tell you something.”

“It’s important.”

I could hear the disgust in his voice as he said…

“And what could be so important that you would ring me after the stunt you pulled earlier.”

I didn’t know how to say or put what I needed to tell him without just ripping the band aid off.

“She’s back Jericho.”

I wait for his response.

“What are you on about Alex.”

“I’m done with your fucking games Alex.”

He was frustrated.

Well, how did he think I felt.

He wasn’t the one that got a call from a ghost.

“Jericho, listen to me.”

“She’s back ok.”

“This isn’t some fucking joke.”

I was raising my voice now I needed him to know how serious I was.

“Ok, I’ll bite.”

“Who’s back Alex?”

I wasted no time in telling him who.

“Sarah.”

“Sarah’s back.”

And I swear I heard him drop his cell.

I would have had the same reaction when she had called me earlier, but I was frozen in place.

The sound of her voice took me straight back to when I was a teenager and all I could think about was her.

I could hear Jericho cursing in the background as I wait patiently for him to pick his cell back up and we can plan what to do with our little situation.

Then I hear something.

More to the point.

Someone.

“Jericho what’s wrong?”

That voice.

I knew that voice anywhere.

Cassandra.

Fuck.

The sly dog was with her.

At this time of night.

Can only mean one possible thing.

They had slept together.

And my chances with her had just gone out of the window.

But I couldn’t think about all of that right now.

We had bigger pressing matters to attend to.

“Jericho.”

“I’m still here you know.”

I hear him fumbling around in search of his cell.

“I’m here.”

“Come to the office tomorrow morning.”

“We’ll talk about it there.”

And he ended the call.

Fucking prick.

I just couldn’t believe this was happening.

After everything that had happened today this was all I needed.

I take another gulp of my whiskey from the bottle, and I slump back down in my chair.

I needed this day to be over already.

What more could it throw at me.

I couldn’t deal with anything else.

Not tonight at least.

I just wanted to drink, fall asleep and wake up in the morning to realise it was all a dream.

And that’s exactly what I had planned on doing.

I didn’t want to think any more about Sarah and what games she was playing.

It had been 20 years.

Why was she here?

And now.

The very thought of it unnerved me.

Like really unnerved me.

So much so that the hairs on the back of my neck started standing up again.

Something was coming.

Something big.

And it was going to rock all of our worlds.

I just hoped certain people weren’t caught in the crossfire.

Because then I would have to make someone pay.

As I sit here in my chair I start to relive the good old days.

As they say.

And recall the last time that I saw Sarah.

It was just like any other night.

I had agreed to meet Sarah at her place.

We were planning on going to a party that one of the Hampton snobs were throwing.

I really didn’t want to go but she did and because I loved her so much and would do anything for her that’s what we were doing.

Jericho had finished school and was home.

He would be at this party also.

But that didn’t bother me.

We had sorted out our differences over the whole Sarah seeing him situation and I generally think he was happy for both of us.

Still…

I didn’t want to seem like I was rubbing his nose in it, but I had no choice this is what she wanted to do.

As the night played out with the party in full swing, I noticed that Sarah was nowhere in sight.

Where was she?

I started to look around for her.

I saw Jericho.

“Hey you seen Sarah?”

He looked at me confused.

“Lost her already.”

He laughed.

“Have you seen her or not Jericho.”

He looked at me and saw the seriousness on my face.

Beer halfway to his mouth he replied.

“Nah man, I haven’t.”

All I could think was ‘where the fuck was she?’

I carried on searching for her Jericho hot on my tail.

“Sarah.”

I yell over the crap music playing.

“Sarah.”

I pass a few people that know her and ask them.

“Have you seen Sarah tonight?”

They reply in unison.

“No sorry.”

I make my way to the back of the house where the party was being thrown.

She was nowhere to be seen.

I walk to the garden.

And there she was.

In the bushes.

Dress torn.

Blood everywhere.

Bruises.

I couldn’t for the life of me think what had happened to her.

I quickly ran to her.

“Sarah, Sarah.”

Jericho was behind me.

He checked her pulse.

I was too shook seeing her like this that I didn’t even consider thinking to check for it.

“She’s still breathing.”

He says.

“I’m going to call an ambulance.”

He makes his way to the front of the house.

Somewhere it’s quiet so he can make the call.

Just as he does Sarah starts to mumble something.

“I told him no.”

She mumbles ever so quietly.

I shush her.

She didn’t need to say anything.

“Don’t worry about that now Sarah.”

“Jericho’s gone to call an ambulance.”

She doesn’t respond.

And all I can think is…

When I get my hands on the fucker that did this, I’m going to tear his head off.

Jericho walks back to my side.

“The ambulance is on the way.”

“Who would do this?”

I growl.

“Jericho.”

He answers ever so quietly.

“I don’t know but whoever it was they will pay.”

“I promise you that.”

And when Jericho promises something he makes good on it.