Page 67 of James

Her father was quiet for a moment, but then said, “How long are you going to do this, Laura? You keep saying you haven’t broken up, but you are ignoring him and stonewalling anyone who mentions him. James is a good man. He doesn’t deserve this.”

Laura stared up at the ceiling and reminded herself he had her best interest in mind. “I know he is, Dad, but I don’t want to involve him. It would be calling him only because I need help and that’s not fair to him either.” She let out a resigned sigh. “I’ll let you know what happens with the police. Thanks for your support. Good night, Dad.” She paused and added a bit hesitantly, “I love you.”

“Love you, too, dear,” he said at once with genuine pleasure. “Don’t hesitate to call if you need anythingelse.” He paused, then pointedly said, “It’s okay to need someone sometimes.”

They said their goodbyes, and Laura decided it was best to get some rest. Maybe things would be clearer in the morning.

After tossing and turning for over an hour, Laura gave up on sleep. She got up and made herself a cup of herbal tea to try and help her relax. But the nagging thoughts of her situation with Jake kept haunting her. She remembered the meditation techniques James had taught her and decided to give them a try, despite the memories it brought back. Anything to find some calm. She really needed to get some rest.

Surprisingly, after half an hour of meditating, she felt more at ease. Without overthinking it, she quickly got back into bed, hoping for a better sleep. Though her sleep was far from restful, at least she managed to get some.

After fumbling through her morning routine, she went to the kitchen for some caffeine to lift the cobwebs from her mind.

As soon as she’d had her first cup of coffee in front of her, she found Det. Stone’s card and called the cell phone number the detective had written on it.

“Det. Stone,” the familiar voice on the other end answered.

“Hello, this is Laura Turner. I don’t know if you remember me, but a couple of weeks ago you helped me out when my ex-husband was threatening me?” Laura introduced herself.

“Of course I remember, Ms. Turner.” Detective Stone replied. “What can I do for you this morning?”

“Well, it seems like my ex is the gift that keeps on giving. I had a phone call last night from a man who called himself, ‘John Smith.’ He said Jake owed him a lot of money, a hundred grand, and since he was dead it was my problem now. I don’t have that kind of money, and even if I did, I can’t possibly be responsible for Jake’s debts. The guy said the debt was only two years old. We were divorced for six years. He expects me to pay five thousand dollars a week, with interest of five percent a month!” Too agitated to stay seated, Laura got up and started pacing the kitchen.

“Did he say what the debt was from?” Detective Stone inquired, her tone serious.

“He said it was from gambling, which doesn’t surprise me.” Laura pressed her free hand against her forehead where a headache was building. “When we divorced, I ended up with half of Jake’s debts then and found myself on the hook for thirty thousand dollars. I hadn’t realized he’d taken out a second mortgage on our house. But that at least was through the bank. This guy… He said I’d be sorry if I didn’t pay.” She couldn’t keep the trembling from her voice.

“Yes, it definitely sounds like a loan shark, and the gambling part makes it more certain.” There was some shuffling at the other side of the line and a creak of a door. “This isn’t my department, but I know who you need to talk to. Loan sharking and extortion are usually handled by our organized crime unit. I know one of their detectives pretty well. Give me a couple of hours to get in touch with him and I’ll call you back,” Det. Stone assured her. “If by some chance, this guy tries to contact youagain, tell him to go through your lawyer. And try not to worry too much. I know it sounds like a lot to people like you and me, but a hundred grand is peanuts to people like them. It’s not worth it for them to shake the hornet’s nest if it puts eyes on their organization.”

“Thank you so much,” Laura responded. “I’ll wait for your call.” She sank back on the kitchen chair and took a sip from the now cold coffee.

Realizing she couldn't just sit at home waiting, Laura decided to go to work. She brought her phone with her, keeping it on and within reach. Her workplace had an informal atmosphere, so nobody objected to occasional personal calls.

Laura's fingers flew across the keyboard as she delved into her coding work, her mind fully immersed in the complex algorithms and intricate lines of code. Each line held her focus, and the outside world seemed to fade away. The soft hum of the office faded into the background as she lost herself in variables and functions.

In the midst of her deep concentration, the shrill ringtone of her cell phone shattered her bubble and jolted her out of her coding trance. Her fingers froze on the keyboard, hovering uncertainly above the keys.

With a sigh, Laura reached for the phone, her brow furrowing as she tried to process who could be calling her. Her mind quickly shifted gears, transitioning from the intricate lines of code to the real-world concerns that demanded her attention. Reluctantly, she accepted the interruption and answered the call.

"Hello?" she said, her tone slightly clipped, as she tried to regain her composure and focus on the unexpected caller.

“Ms. Turner? This is Det. Stone.” The cool andcollected voice filled with concern when she added, “Are you all right?”

“Sorry, Detective.” She quickly composed herself. “I was deep into my work and lost track of the rest of the world. Can you help me?”

“Well, I can’t help with your losing track of the world,” Detective Stone replied with a touch of humor. “But I have gotten in touch with my colleague in organized crime. Can you get away to meet us?”

Laura couldn't help but chuckle at the detective's wry response. She was starting to like the other woman more and more. “Yes, I can. Can we do it right away? Now I’m back in the world, I won’t be able to think of anything else.”

“Sure, how about we meet for coffee in about fifteen minutes?” Det. Stone suggested. “Where would be convenient for you?”

Laura thought for a moment before responding, “How about the Starbucks at City Center Square? It’s only a few blocks from my work.”

They quickly finalized the arrangements, and Laura informed her boss that she needed to step out for a while. With her current project running ahead of schedule, there were no objections. When she arrived at the coffee shop, she spotted Detective Stone and a handsome younger man at one of the corner booths. The man rose from his seat as she entered. “I’m Detective Jackson Cagney, you must be Laura Turner?” he greeted her, extending a hand.

“Nice to meet you Det. Cagney.” Laura replied, shaking his hand. “Has Det. Stone told you about my problem?”

“She has and I think we can help each other,” Det.Cagney replied. “Why don’t I get you a cup of coffee, and then we can talk?”

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