CHAPTER 92 - RELIEF

Alison.

Jason grabs my hand. “Wait, how do I know that this is really your fiancé?” he asks.

Zane glares at him. “I suggest you let go off my fiancée before I break your hand,” he warns him in a low voice.

Jason’s eyes look like he is possessed by an evil spirit. “Break it. I dare you,” he says flashing Zane an evil grin. His fingernails dig into my wrist.

I can’t take this anymore and I do not want to spend one more minute with this psycho. “Help!” I scream at the top of my lungs.

The undercover policemen and barista rush to my side. One of them pulls Jason away from us. He kicks and fights off the policemen giving them enough reason to handcuff him and drag his sorry ass down to the nearest police station.

“Whew! That was close,” I tell Zane. He doesn’t say anything. He just pulls me close to him and holds me tight.

“Don’t ever agree to do something so stupid again,” he tells me.

“I did it for Dean and Lace,” I tell him fighting back tears as the policemen drag Jason out of the coffee shop.

“I will find you and make you pay for this,” Jason yells, “I know you set me up.”

I shiver and grab Zane’s hands. “I never want to see him again. Sick, psychotic bastard.”

“There is no need for you to come into contact with him ever again!” Zane tells me leading me to my car. I give him my car keys. “Next time, don’t do something like this without talking to me about it first,” he says helping me sit inside the car.

“I promise I will never do something like this again.” I hold my stomach. What if that psychopath hit me and compromised my baby? I tremble at that last thought.

“I just hope those cops have enough on him to keep him behind bars tonight,” Zane says.

“I hope they do. But Jason probably knows his rights and what the police can and cannot do. He got away with Dana’s murder for the last six years. He thought nobody would ever figure it out.”

Zane shakes his head. “I fail to understand how human beings can be so evil. I read all about Dana’s murder. Some kids even took photos of Dean in the driver’s seat with him slumped over the steering wheel. I wonder how Jason pulled this off. I wish I was on that jury if this case ever goes to trial.”

I hope Zane isn’t on that jury if Jason is ever put on trial. The less I see or hear about Jason the better. He caused unnecessary chaos in Lace’s life without me even knowing about it. He stalked me. I shiver at that realization. I don’t even know how long he stalked me before introducing himself to me. And that fake story about having a friend in the women’s shelter was so believable. I cannot believe I fell for it.

Zane squeezes my hand while he is driving. “Don’t beat yourself over him. I am just glad you and our baby are okay.”

“Thank you,” I tell him. I am so relieved that Jason has finally been exposed. I cannot imagine how Dean and Lace are feeling right now.

“I have to tell Lace I am safe and with you,” I tell Zane.

He hands me his phone. Lace answers on the first ring.

“Ali?” she asks, her voice trembling with emotion.

“Yes, it’s me. I’m with Zane and we’re going home.” The tears I have been fighting finally escape my eyes and roll down my face. “I’m safe.”

“Thank God, Ali, thank God.”

***

Dean.

My heart freezes when Jason grabs Alison. The camera on her purse gives us an excellent view of the coffee shop. Dan is a genius when it comes to spy cameras. My blood boils when I realize that my best friend has been fooling me all along. I cannot believe he pretended to be someone else to get close to Alison so that he could have access to Lace. I am so mad that I have to concentrate on my breathing to keep from shaking like an autumn lead about to break off a stem and flutter to the ground. How could Jason do this to me? How could he pretend to be my best friend and fool me while planning to ruin me all along?

I genuinely believed that he was the closest friend I had in this world. I believed he cared about me and wanted the best for me. I had no idea he murdered my girlfriend and was probably planning to murder my fiancée. I punch the air when the policemen drag him screaming out of that restaurant.

“Where are they taking him?” I ask my father.

We’re at Dan’s office. Lace is at home with her family. I don’t want her to watch this even though I know she is terrified for Alison.

“It doesn’t matter where they are taking him because we are staying right here,” my father says.

“Dad!” I argue, “I want to see this bastard and ask what the fuck he was thinking by pretending all these years. I want to ask him how he did it!”

“You want to know how he murdered Dana.” My father gestures for me to sit. “Will the details help you get closure?” he asks me.

“I don’t know,” I whisper, sinking into the closest chair. “I just want to know how he did it.”

“He may not tell us everything,” my father says, “but we did manage to find someone who is willing to turn state witness.”

Hope floods me. “Dan found Lance?”

“Yes,” my father smiles, “we found Lance Garner and he is willing to tell us everything in exchange for immunity.”

“Oh my God.” I am so relieved I burst into tears. My father holds me tight while I cry.

“Will that be enough closure for you to move on with your life with Lace?” he asks me.

“Yes,” I whisper, “yes it will be.”

“Then I want you to forget about going to the police station and just let Archie and Howard do their jobs. Fate is on our side. Lance agreed to turn on Jason. So I want you to focus on building your future with Lace instead of living in the past,” my father tells me, “promise me that you will not remain fixated on Dana’s accident.”

“I promise,” I say. My father is right. I should concentrate on living the rest of my life but how can I ever forget what Jason did? How will I ever trust someone who calls themselves my friend again? Is it even possible to trust a stranger after this level of betrayal?

“It does get easier if you give it time,” my father says like he is reading every thought that passes through my mind, “now why don’t you go home, have something to eat and get some rest.”

It’s what I need right now despite the turmoil my mind is in. “Okay,” I tell my father. I leave Dan’s office and drive home as fast as I legally can before I change my mind and drive to the police station.

“Dean!” My mother hugs me as soon as I walk inside. “I am so sorry. I had no idea Jason was such a fucking prick.”

“What?” It is the first time in my life that I have ever heard my mother use profanity.

“I am sorry for my terrible language but if your father would just let me go down to the station I will give that sorry piece of blood, flesh and bones a piece of my mind,” she says. My mother is so angry tears form in her eyes. “And to think I threw you out on the streets and you were forced to live with this creep for a few days. Oh my God, Dean. What if he had killed you?” My mother bursts into tears as she imagines the worst. “I am so sorry, Dean. Please forgive me.”

“You did what you needed to, Mom. And if you hadn’t done what you did I wouldn’t have met Lace. She is the best thing that ever happened to me. Jason didn’t harm me and for that, I will forever be thankful to God and the universe.”

My mother calms down. “You’re right. I am thankful you are safe and sound and…alive.” She hugs me tight and I realize that this is the first time since I was a child that she hugged me.

“I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.” She holds my hands and prays quickly then releases my hands. “I’ll warm supper.”

“Okay.” I freshen up quickly and join my mother in the dining room. She made me a cup of sweet, black tea too. I drink it in one gulp and try not to think about Jason as I eat my nachos and salad.

My father returns home an hour later. My mother hugs him just as long and tight as she hugged me.

“Please tell me that awful lad is behind bars for good,” she says.

“Oh honey, he is behind bars for now but his lawyer will have him out tomorrow.” He sighs. He kisses her lips gently. “The law will take care of him, honey.”

“Okay,” she murmurs, “let me fix you something to eat.” She rushes into the kitchen for the second time this evening.

“Thank you, Dad,” I say and hug my father.

“I will do anything for you, son. Now, why don’t you get some rest and check on how my future daughter-in-law is holding up.”

I smile at my father’s choice of words. “I love you, dad.”

“I love you too, son.” He gives me a fist bump and makes his way to the dining room.

I shower and pick up my phone to call Lace. She’s already messaged me asking me how I am doing. I call instead of replying to her message and thank God Jason never harmed her.