CHAPTER 32 - STARTING TO SQUARE THE CIRCLE

NORBERT

“So how does Justin Taylor fit into all of this mess?” I ask, having sat shellshocked throughout the conversation. “Yes, Justin Taylor, he said that Mason told him that Justin Taylor sends his…” I pause. “Now where the hell is that line from...no matter. He said that Justin Taylor sends his regards. Okay listen, there is a whole host of crimes that he intended to perpetrate and he needs to pay for them. But we have to do this carefully, he needs to confess and keep your brother out of it. Let me have a think about this and do not discuss this with anyone else, okay?”

I hang up and sit back, rubbing my forehead as I contemplate what I have just heard. Like everyone else, I was astonished when Kinney got pregnant but he’s been a great dad. I chuckle at the memory of, my then partner in the force, Orion almost weeping when he had his contractions started…

Start of flashback

DINER

NORBERT

“Hey Debs! Two coffees please. You want me to grab that booth, Sharpy?”

“Sure. Hey, Kinney.”

“Hey.” He smiles tiredly.

“How you doing? Still can’t believe you are pregnant. You are barely showing!”

“Right now, she’s resting on my kidneys and wiggling about. Fuck that hurts; calm down in there!”

“Kiddo, are you okay?” I catch the concern in Debs’s voice and look closer at Kinney, who has gone from a mere wince to now flinching and grimacing in pain.

“Kinney?”

“Something, ouch! Is hap...ow-ow-ow!” He yells and clutches his stomach, looking fearful.

“Move!” Orion orders at stock still busboy. “Kinney, look at me! Look at me! How far apart are they?”

“Wh...what?!” He grunts out.

“Your contractions, you twit! You’re in labour! When did it start? Debs! Ambulance now!”

“I can’t be...I’m wearing Armani for fuck...oh okay, yeah labour, ow!”

“That was about two minutes!” The busboy calls out.

“I need to trans...transfer... the fuck...me, pain!”

“Here take my hand and when the next one...holy... motherfucker! Wanker! Bastard, let go!” Orion screams, trying to wrench his hand out of Kinney’s death grip. “Sharpy! Holy mother of God!  Do something!”

“What do you suggest?!” I call from the door as I hear the ambulance approaching. “The man is in labour!” I shout over Orion’s frantic cries.

“Pepper spray! Taser! Anything!” He shrieks, almost using his foot as leverage against Kinney’s shoulder to pull himself free. “Kinney, please! I wank with this hand!”

And it’s those words that get him released and that was the day that both Kemi and the now legendary Kinney death glare were born…

End of flashback

I head back to my desk, still smiling partly at the memory but also at the thought of nailing that fucker, who snickered at my name. I’m named after my father and nobody disses my dad! “Ah Eric Draven said it in The Crow. Shame I can’t open a can of whoop ass on Novotny like he did in Top Dollar.”

BRITIN - AFTERNOON

LOUNGE

BRIAN

“I think that is a sufficient punishment and you must promise that you will never speak in such a manner again?” Justin admonishes Kemi.

“Hmm, Spitfire? I could be wrong, but it would be much more effective, if...oh say, you weren’t grinning and looking so proud for example.”

“This from the Hotrod, who mouthed that’s our girl at me.”

“Can I come out of the corner now?” Kemi asks from the sofa.

“Yes and I trust the letter of apology will be winging its way to Uncle Michael…”

“Oh yes...Captain Asshole is coming to get it as we speak.”

“You may now go and play.”

“Thank you, father!” She chirrups and skips out to join Gus and Kendi as we shake our heads, smiling.

“So you going to tell me what that look was for?” I ask as he looks longingly at the glass of Beam I have in my hand. “You can suck it off my tongue if you want.”

“Want.” He murmurs, sitting astride me.

“Answer first, then suck.” I order as he waits for me to take a sip.

“Nya and Uncle Earl are up to something...sip please.” I watch his eyes smoke over as I take great pleasure in slowly licking my lips. “Sip again and sip only…” I do as I am bid and can feel a drop on my lip. “Head back please. We don’t want that to fall off of that beautiful mouth of yours…” He takes a soft and slow swipe of my bottom lip before sliding his tongue in to suckle mine. I am thankful that the glass is now empty as it falls on the sofa as I grab his ass and swing us round so that he’s on his back and I am kissing him deeply and passionately. I move to his neck, slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

“So what are they up to?” I murmur, spreading his shirt open.

“N-not sure. Don’t…” He breathes as I lower my head to his very tempting and pretty pink nipple.

“Then tell me.” I take the peak between my front teeth and apply the gentlest of pressure.

“I hon...honestly don’t know, but I think Michael is in a…” He stops talking when I suck his nipple fully into my mouth and start to spear it with my tongue. “Shitloadoftrouble.” He babbles and grabs my hand, shoving it down his pants. “Do something about that!” He orders, squirming beneath my tongue.

“Are you sure you want me to stop doing this…” I tweak his nipple. “...in order to do that?” I flick his slit.

“Th-thought you cou-could multitask!” He groans and grinds his hips. “Brian...n-not going to...oh!” He kisses me fiercely as he rides out his storm. “I t-told you…” He pants. “To stay away from the nipples.”

“Christ, you are that sensitive!” I turn us on our sides so he can get in his post-cum-sleep position. He flings his leg over mine and burrows under my chin. “Does it get worse as Sunbeam...I mean does it get better for my Machiavellian hands that love to touch...grows or will it wear off?”

“You can’t call him/her Sunbeam!” He grumbles sleepily. “That’s what I shouted.”

“I can’t call the baby Sunshine Jnr, so Sunbeam it is after the smile I had when they told us… Hey, what’s wrong?” I lift his chin and see tears.

“Sunbeam, it is.” He sniffs and burrows back under.

“Ah, you get emotional too. Great... just great.”

“And horny, oh so very horny.” He mumbles. “I got through four of them in four months.”

“Four? Seriously four?” I roll him over to look him in the eyes and he’s serious. “Jesus…”

MEL AND LINDSAY’S HOUSE - EARLY EVENING

LINDSAY

“So what did you think of Michael’s staunch defending of all things Jenny?”

“It was so obsequious and sycophantic I almost, but not quite, lost my appetite! But in all seriousness, he’s become fixated lately and I don’t like it at all. I’m glad that we are going to limit her interaction with him…”

“No, you are not! You can’t stop me from seeing Uncle Michael! In fact, since he’s the only one that seems to care about me…” Jenny glares defiantly at us. “...I’m going to ask him to…”

“Oh why don’t you go and eat worms!” Mel snaps and we both look at her in astonishment. “I mean your constant refrain of nobody likes me, everybody hates me reminds me of the Worm Song! We have a garden after all, and I’m sure there are short fat juicy ones, long thin curly ones but be careful because they are apt to wiggle and squirm…”

“Please Mel just stop, I have had enough! Jenny, I have made a decision. You are not going to military school at the end of the summer holidays...”

“Lindsay?!” Mel exclaims, her face confused and hurt.

“Oh Mommy! I knew it! I knew you wouldn’t do that to me! Didn’t I tell you, Mom? We Peterson women stick together!” She sneers coldly. “Even though you made me do that horrible thing with the toothbrush, it was just for show, wasn’t it?”

“Well you know us Peterson women, don’t you darling?”

“Yes I do.” She flicks her hair then shakes her head. “You really had me going for a moment.”

“Are you expecting anybody, Mel? Mel?!” I snap at her and she shakes her head. “Well I had better go an answer it then since nobody else is! I have to do everything around here!”

MEL

I can’t believe this! I want to smack that smug and supercilious look off of Jenny’s face. I can hear Lindsay talking to someone and I close my eyes as a wave of nausea washes over me.

“As I was saying Jenny, darling…” Lindsay says as she comes back in and my eyes widen and I blink, but it’s still there. “...you know us Peterson women. But you don’t know this Marcus-Peterson woman. Like I said to you before, I’m putting Mel first. This is Drill Sergeant Heather Wilcox from the Pittsburgh Preparatory Military School for Girls. She will be doing your orienteering for the next two weeks until you start the school properly at the end of the summer. And that orienteering starts tomorrow morning.”

“WHAT?!” We both shriek but for very different reasons.

“You will, therefore, accompany Drill Sergeant Wilcox to the school this evening and we will send your case on once we have checked the packing list. Drill Sergeant, if you please.”

“Thank you, Mrs Marcus-Peterson. Good evening to you, Ms Marcus.” She clips out.

“Good evening…” I say weakly.

“Now Miss Marcus, please go and put on your shoes and coat and we will be off in exactly 10 minutes. You will be issued with standard sleep kit on your arrival and bedtime will be at precisely 2000 hours.”

“I am not going!” She spits at her.

“Yes, you are. We have assessed you and found you severely wanting in a lot of areas. Now how would you like to go? With a semblance of dignity or kicking, screaming and swearing all the way? Choose wisely.” Drill Sergeant steps up to Jenny and smiles. “Either way works for me. I have your parents’ authority to take you and take you, I will.”

Thirty minutes later, the crowds that her yelling and screaming had attracted have started to disperse laughing and cheering as we head back inside.

“Lindsay? What just...? When did...?” I stammer, staring at her.

“Out of the mouths of babes…” She sighs and smiles at the ceiling. “When Josh said I should be ashamed of myself, I knew then and there that I had to do something to save our sanity and our marriage. So while you were in the kitchen slowly going grey as she poked and prodded you with metaphorical spears and barbs, I put in a call to Ernie and she was only too happy to assist. She will be coming back before the holiday ends for a week and then she goes again.”

“You meant it. You really did.” I sniff.

“Yes my dear darling wife, I did. You come first.”

MICHAEL’S APARTMENT - SAME TIME

LOUNGE

MICHAEL

Reed hasn’t called me back and I am getting frustrated! I want him to feel how it feels to be in the hot spot. I am about to sip my beer when the phone rings and it’s him. “Finally.” I smirk and put him on speaker.

“Novotny here.”

“Where is my money?”

“Not paying you. Not paying you anymore! I have reported you to the police for assault and you will remain reported until I decide otherwise.”

“And who did I assault?” He drawls.

“Me!” I shout. “You and your friend assaulted me!”

“You need to prove that. First, I have an alibi; I was with my counsellor. Court mandated session, so I had to pitch up or get thrown in jail. So I pitched. And as for my friend, you don’t even know what he looks like...let alone where he is...so…”

“You are wrong!” I snarl. “The police have your name and I will press charges. You are the one with the skanky and sketchy past…”

“You’re the one that wanted the GHB and you’re the one that put it in his drink!”  He interrupts brusquely.

“But he never drank it and you can’t prove…”

“If I can’t prove it, then why are you still paying me?” He sneers. I swallow hard. “Cat got your tongue, Novotny? Tell you what, I will give you until Tuesday to pay up or I look up the address of Britin and tweet like the owls I know they have there!”

“How do you know…!” I gasp, but he’s hung up and the next six calls go to voicemail.

HUDSON REED’S HOUSE

HUDSON

I look across at my guests and they nod. Taking a deep breath, the number is dialled and put on speaker.

“Hi...Ted, how are you?”

“Fine Michael, fine. Look, Blake and I have been talking and we’re really not comfortable having your collection as collateral, just in case we have to call it in. We couldn’t do that to a friend. So we have sold your debt onto a third party. The terms remain the same, but we couldn’t be the ones that took those away from you.”

“Wha...but Ted, you can’t!” He garbles. “I can pay. I know I can!”

“Sorry, Michael. We had to do what’s best for us and ultimately best for you. It was a bad idea to mix friendship with business so we got out before our friendship was ruined. Look I’ve got to go, dinner plans, maybe see you at the diner for breakfast?”

“Yeah. M-maybe.”

“So, now what?” Ted turns to Nya, who is smiling.

“Now I try and fob both Justin and Mel off until the prick confesses!” Nya growls. “And confess he most definitely will!”

“So let me get this straight. You haven’t sold his debt to a third party?” I ask.

“No. We just want him to think that we have.” Ted smiles, helping Blake into his coat.

“But why?” Emmett asks as confused as much as I am.

“Because he thinks that the person who owns his debt is Nya’s dad.” Ted grins.

“And he doesn’t like him.” Nya’s smile is as salacious as it is evil. “Not one little bit.”