Page 83 of Very Special Forces

"I don'tunderstand."

"Bryceis so charming. All he has to do is tell his next woman how badlytreated he was by his ex and she just laps it up. I know I did! Ithought he was wonderful. So generous and thoughtful and kind. Heeven encouraged me to cut my hair because he liked it that way.Thankfully my hair grows fast. I felt so bad for him that his excalled him names and falsely accused him of abuse. Then, one day,everything he said about her, he started saying about me, and Irealized it was all a big lie. That, and he never paid me back forloaning him the money for his car. At least I got out before heconvinced me to sell my apartment so we could buy a house together.Together! He doesn't have two cents to rub together. He blows it onbooze and a good time and probably that woman I caught himmessaging. Two years I wasted on that useless guy." Jessica stoppedand blew out a breath. "I'm sorry. I don't know where that all camefrom. Now you're going to think I'm crazy too."

"I don'tthink you're crazy," I told her as I joined her on the couch. Idid, however, recall Ruby mentioning Bryce's ex did throw him out.Now I remembered how Bryce said he caught his ex messaging anotherman. If everything Jessica said was the real story, I could see whyshe tossed him out. "I believe you and I believe he treated youvery badly."

Jessicahuffed. "No one else believes me."

"Did youtell anyone?"

"Ofcourse. I told his buddies, Vincent and Oliver, about his drinkingbut they don't see it. How could they? They only see him at happyhour at the bar, or at a barbecue, or a party. Everyone's drinking!They don't seem him passed out in the hallway and if they do hearabout it, it's a funny little story. Ha-ha! And if we had a fight,he'd just spin it as me being a bitch. In the last few months, itgot really bad and I was so ashamed that I withdrew from all myfamily and friends until I was alone. I was so embarrassed by hisbehavior I couldn't be around anyone, but then he spun it that Iwas a cold bitch who hated his family and friends and they hatedme."

"Thatmust have been awful."

"It wasbut you know what got me through it? This baby." Jessica smiled forthe first time as she rubbed her bump again. "We're going to have anew start and we're going to get through this. You're won’t try andstop me, will you?"

"No, Ithink you're doing the right thing," I said.

"Good.Because if that jerk ever tries anything again, I will sue him forharassment."

"Has heharassed you?"

"Notrecently. I guess he's too busy slating me to the new girl. Theygot together about two weeks after we broke up. Did you know that?I think he already had her lined up, ready to feed his ego, justlike he did to me when we met."

"She iswhy I'm here. My client is a friend of his current partner and veryworried about her."

"Her friendsshouldbe worried about her. He'll do to her exactly whathe did to me, and to the ex before me, and who knows how manyothers? He's not a good man."

"I thinkthat's obvious," I said with a pointed look at her bump.

"I'mglad you said you believe me but I'm not sure if it mattersanymore. I'm leaving in a few days and I don't want any trouble. Iwant to have my baby in peace and enjoy those first weeks as a mom.If I make any complaint, Bryce might try and ruin everything to getback at me. Besides, what can I even complain about? If every manwho was pegged an asshole went to prison, there would be no freemen on earth!"

Ilaughed and Jessica did too. Her face relaxed and her eyessoftened. "I know a few good men and I'm sure you'll meet oneeventually if you want to," I told her. "I won't ask you to make anofficial complaint but it might help if you could tell his currentgirlfriend what went on. Perhaps if she heard it from you, shemight realize he's not the man she thinks he is."

"I don'tknow. I'm not sure it's a good idea." Jessica shook herhead.

"I can'tthink of a better person to tell her who he really is."

"I canthink of two good reasons. One, he'll already have painted me as abitter psycho ex who can't be believed. He does that to his exes.Second, he might get back at me by going after my baby. I'm sorry,I can't risk it. If you'll excuse me, I need to finish packing andI'm physically uncomfortable enough as it as. I'm sorry I can'thelp you."

"Ofcourse," I said, recognizing my cue to leave. I followed Jessica tothe door. "Thanks for seeing me and good luck with the move and thebaby. And the new job."

"I'mcalling it the trifectra of stress, but thank you." She paused withone hand resting on the door and the other on her belly. "I'm sorryhe's putting another woman through his crap. I hope she gets out ofit before it's too late."

~

A glanceat my wristwatch as I got into my car confirmed I had just enoughtime for a bathroom break and to pick up a sandwich and some snacksfor my surveillance shift. I could easily have driven the fewblocks from Jessica's apartment to Solomon's house and used thefacilities there but I just couldn't bring myself to do that.Instead, I drove to a cafe and picked up a gourmet roast beef andpickle sandwich, a pack of chips, and a freshly-made, overpricedsoda.

Following Solomon's directions, I drove over to my designatedspot near the tank's concealment and pulled up behind anotherparked car. That car was empty but it was outside a business thatlooked like it was in operation. My car would blend right in andthere was the potential that I could be a customer or anemployee.

My cellphone rang as soon as I shut off the engine. "Hi," Isaid.

"Hey,"said Solomon. "Good spot."

"You cansee me?"

"I seeeverything."

"Howmany fingers?" I asked, holding up three. There was no pointlooking around for Solomon. Wherever he was, he would be wellconcealed.

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