Concerned Confusion

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Joey ushered me to the sofa, I didn’t even feel my feet move. I was in shock, my Biggie was gone, he wasn’t just a fish, he was my roommate and my friend.

“Hey Sam?” Joey said as he sat beside me but I couldn’t stop looking at the floor. He cupped the side of my face so I would look at him. When my eyes met his I don’t know what took over but I threw my arms around him.

“Why is this happening to me?” I asked, resting my head on his shoulder.

“I think it’ll be best if you get away from this and let me and Zack handle it, you’ve done enough.” Joey softly told me.

“What?” I pulled away from him as I became angry. “I have to really see this through now, I have to find the bastard who killed my fish and stole my car!” Since my anger was soaring I stood from the sofa and looked down at Joey.

“He’s right.”

Now I looked up toward the hall where Zack stood. “You. This is your fault.” I yelled at him.

“How?” Zack asked as he joined us in the living room.

“It is!” I was too pissed to talk to Zack and make any common sense.

I watched Zack and Joey exchange a look. “Come on.” Zack told me as he began dragging me to the bedroom. I was too mad to even think of Zack in anyway besides anger and how I was going to make him pay for making my life hell.

“What?” I demanded once we were I the room and he shut the door. I went and sat on the edge of my bed and looked at him.

“I’m sorry about your fish.” Zack said. “And what about your car?”

“It was stolen in front of my parent’s house, they left this note.” I dug in my pocket and pulled the note out.

He sat beside me and took the note. “It seems someone knows what’s going on.”

“Yeah, who is that ‘someone’ I know you have some idea.” I wasn’t going to just let it go anymore, they were looking for Zack but they were screwing with me.

“Have you heard about the Mayor?” He asked and I nodded. “He was dirtier than the mob, I have a feeling a business deal went wrong and now the Mayor is dead because he didn’t pay up.”

“Ok and they’re looking for you because you know all this.” I realized, slowly the dots were connecting. “You have proof?”

“Getting there. Joey and I are working on it but there’s something you should know.” Zack said. Oh no more bad news, I could see it in his damn blue eyes. “I don’t think the same person that killed the Mayor killed Marty.”

“So you’re not close to ending this. You have two different dangerous people after you. God you’re an idiot.” I was beyond pissed off and I was taking it out on Zack. I think it was justified since I was in this whole mess because he decided to break into my apartment and beg for my help. “So what now? And you better tell me.”

“I’m not worried about the Mayor’s dirty dealings, once the proof is handed over that problem fades away.” Zack seemed sure. “The real problem is still finding the real killer. But Sam you should stay out of it now.”

“What? No. They took my car, killed my fish, what else can they do?”

“Kill you then I’ll have to live the rest of my life watching my back to make sure your father doesn’t kill me for involving you in this.” Zack explained with hints of anger toward my stubbornness.

“Hmm good point my dad would kill you. I should tell him you broke my heart and have him do the dirty work.” I said thinking out loud. My dad was a simple man but if you mess with his wife or his girls he was the scariest man alive, everyone knew that. I looked at Zack again and got a bit uncomfortable at how intensely he was staring at me. This was one of those moments I talked too much.  “What?”

“I’m sorry for getting you involved in this and you’ve been a big help.” Zack said. He was genuine and caring right now that it scared me more than the fact someone might want to kill me to get to Zack.

“Yeah no problem.” I was trying to be carefree as I looked away from him, my heart began to race. I was so hurt by the fact Biggie and my car was gone, now adding my feeling to Zack in the mix just made me a mess. “You shouldn’t be here, someone might see you.” That and the fact I couldn’t handle being around him too long without my heart hurting and my body tightening with hunger.

“You’re the only one with a side window and a fire escape and this building is next to a cement wall, no one can really see me climb in through your window if I’m careful.” Zack explained.

I looked to the window; I didn’t know that’s how he got in. “Oh well still can’t be too careful so you should go.”

Zack grinned, damn it. “You’re right, I should go.” He said as he stood form the bed, that was easier than I thought. “I’ll go out the way I came, its good exercise.” We walked over to the window, he had one leg inside and one outside when he pulled me closer to me and planted a kiss on my mouth. It wasn’t a peck on the lips, there serious tongue action. “If you keep kissing me back like that Sam the next time you won’t be able to get rid of me.”

Zack left and after that kiss I almost didn’t want him too.

I left the room and found the floor cleaned up and Joey was gone. Next to the phone was a post it note from Joey telling me if I needed anything to call him. I thought back to how Nikki wanted a few minutes with Joey; she’d have a bitch fit if she knew how much time I spent with him.

I picked up the phone and got Joey on the second ring. “What did you do with my fish?”

“Better if you didn’t know.”

“Please don’t tell me you tossed my best friend in the trash.” I begged as I felt tears well up again. I knew somewhere in my head this reaction might be irrational but you suffered when any pet died, anything you cared about, and I loved that damn fish fiercely.

“First you need better friends and no I didn’t toss him in the trash.” Joey said, I knew he was driving because I heard the passing cars.

“Then?”

“He’s in a better place; don’t think about the death, think of the good times.” Joey said, he was cringing.

“You flushed him didn’t you?!” I knew it was the toilet or trash and nothing he said was going to get me off the subject until I got my answer.

Silence before he finally said “Yes.” He hung up, it seemed he was scared to feel my wrath. Since I was too depressed to call him back I let it go for now. I took a moment to think and Alissa flashed in my mind, I hadn’t seen her since this morning.

I decided to give her a call and get my mind off the disasters of the day. I called her cell phone but she didn’t answer, I tried the office, her place, and then the house. Erin told me Alissa never showed up. Fear embedded its self tight in my heart and I knew my horrors were just beginning.