In The Safety Of A Lie - COMPLETED!

Chapter 41

Evelina looked out the window. Jacob was starting to make his rounds down their street and in front of their house. She ran out of the house, not caring about if the door closed behind her. She ran in front of Jacob's car.

The man slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop. His car screeched to a halt right in front of her.

She laid the palms of her hands on the hood of his car. The momentum of the moment pushing her hair in her face, soaking up some of the tears that had been streaming down. Her eyes met his. Her face a perfect visual of desperation.

Jacob got out of his car. "Damn it, Evelina! I nearly ran you over! What the hell is going on?"

Evelina tried to steady her voice before speaking. She was sure she looked wrecked, but that was the last thing she cared about.

"Joey's here." She whimpered. "He's been shot."

Jacob walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Where is he?"

"He's here and he's not doing good." She looked up at him. "And Jimmy won't answer his phone."

"I haven't heard anything from him either." Jacob confided in her. He looked away from her, hiding his uncertainty.

Ev dug around in her pocket and pulled out a garage door opener. She handed it to him. "Put your car in the garage and come in. I know someone who'll help out Joey, but I don't want to leave him alone while I call my friend. He keeps trying to fall asleep. I need you to keep him awake. I'm asking you to help me, please." Evelina begged him.

"Yeah, I can do that. Don't worry." He told her and began heading back to his car.

"The house door's unlocked. Just come inside. I'll be down the hallway in the bedroom on the right. Come in and take my place after you've finished." She tried to instruct him, as if he didn't know what to do.

Jacob nodded his reassurance and began shutting his car door.

"Thank you, Jacob." Ev tried to smile at him.

Jacob returned the tight smile and nodded at her again, closing his door.

Evelina hurried back in the house to Joey. He looked up at her, his eyelids heavy.

"What did you do?" He asked almost accusingly.

"I'm trying to save your life!" She said critically. "Is that a problem?"

"Ev, if it involves you talking to people and dragging them into this mess, then yeah, it is a problem. Davy will find out, and so will the police." He made the problem known. "You'll be in danger. Don't you get that?"

"So be it. I'm already in danger. If it means that I'll have you longer by my side, than I will put up with either of them. At least if the police get you, they'd bring you to the hospital." She subtly let him know what she wanted.

"Before or after they find a way to make me talk? They have plenty of things that they'd love to question me about. They have plenty of ways to make a prisoner talk without leaving any visible marks, not that anyone would notice at this point even if they did leave more marks. I have plenty of names they want to hear, along with convictions. I don't want to spill out my guts to them, and, if I have a choice, I won't. You'd lose me sooner." He threw the fear and reality of his worth in her mind. He knew that the police suspected the senator's men of doing things illegally. He knew that they'd jump at the chance to question him if they had the opportunity. It'd be different if Jimmy was there and would be able to back him up or at least be a witness, but that just wasn't the case. He was alone. If the wrong interrogator got a hold of him, he'd be the farthest from help possible.