Page 75 of Hesi-Dating
"This level of hands-on threats from him is new."
"Do you think he wants to be involved with her romantically in some way now?"
She scrunched up her lips and then thinned them out. "Please understand she needs help. She ignores all her problems. I'm worried she's going to implode, but so long ashekeeps showing up, she can't heal."
"She told me some things about her past." My stomach twisted and turned over with my frustration to fight her demons.
Her eyebrows shot up. "You're a good guy, Seth. I respect that you want to help her, but your reasons are all about you. You want her and a relationship. Are you sure that's what she wants? You staying away from her is better for all of us. If you don't, someone in my family will die over this, maybe me."
"I can protect you."
"Can you?" She pursed her lips. "I don't think so. That psycho has been harassing her for half her life. I'm sure you read the official version of the double homicide that ties them together. I'm not sure what really happened, but whatever is on record isn't the truth. It's not the only thing they went through in that foster home. A hell of a lot led up to that murder. Whatever it was galvanized Nosh to be possessive about Joley. From what I can tell, he cares about two things in this world: power and Joley."
"How can I get her free of him?"
"When he dies."
"That's honest."
"He's hard to get to, which makes it virtually impossible to take him out." She waited for me to look at her. "Have I contemplated murder? Hell, yes. I've thought about every angle of it. If it was doable, I'd hire the right person to get it done, believe me. His obsession over her isn't normal. It's debilitating to me and my family. It's also not about gang business. It's personal. I can't figure out what he feels for her. It's gotten a lot worse since you entered her life. You want to hear my theory on why?"
"Sure."
The door opened. She side-eyed the man wearing scrubs headed our way. In a low voice she said rapidly, "I think Nosh sees that her reaction to you is different from other men she's been with over the years. It freaks him out. On top of that he can't scare you off or control you. Don't let him do either of those to you. If you do, you'll lose her for sure. I want to root for you and her getting a chance, but I want you to think long and hard about it. Someone will die before you get your chance. If you're the one who kills Nosh, she might never be able to be with you. It's complicated. In her big generous heart, a part of her loves Nosh like a brother and wants to save him. She won't admit he's beyond redemption. Maybe that's also why he won't let her go. He needs her to believe in the good in him. Soooo…it's complicated as hell." She stood and said loudly while waving at the approaching guy. "Thanks for clearing up the lobby, Sheriff."
I could get Joley free. It might involve a smidge of entrapment to get Nosh, but that might end in a win to be able to put him behind bars. A win for me, my department, my career…and for Joley.
ChapterThirty
JOLEY
Three weeks later...
"Go to Balboa Park. Not the zoo. You guys did that two weeks ago. There's a special speaker at 2 you guys need to see in the Organ Pavilion. Free to the public."
Those were Isiah's instructions. It wasn't unusual for he or Maya to give me an activity for the time I had with Junior. I saw the event setting up as we walked through from the parking lot but didn't see a sign about who would perform. People already milled around, waiting.
The keening cries of the peacocks at the zoo resonated in the distance. Junior danced around me, itching to see the Model Railroad Museum. I hadn't been there in years. He squealed with joy as he ran from one diorama of a running model train to the next.
Once done, he skipped back toward the Organ Pavilion. Oddly, I noticed it seemed like there were few kids and mostly women in the audience. As we got close to the entrance to the area he said, "Can't wait to see Uncle Seth."
The bottom dropped out of my stomach. "What?"
"That's him." Junior pointed to the poster and grinned.
"Sure is." I wondered what his father's game was. Wasn't the point for me to avoid Seth?
People packed into the Organ Pavilion. The overrepresentation of women made sense to me now. We were forced into a seat in the back. Worked for me to avoid him seeing us.
When Seth stepped on stage in his uniform after someone introduced him, it was like being at a celebrity concert. Women jumped to their feet, yelling and cheering. I worried someone might throw underwear at him. TV cameras buzzed back and forth in front of the stage.
He waved and flashed his white smile beneath the black cowboy hat. "Thank you."
I didn't pay attention to what he said as the tone of his voice washed over me. Junior stood up on the bench next to me to see over those in front of us. I stabilized him as best possible.
Seth's voice boomed through the PA system. "At the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, we are always ready. We will be the first to help. Anytime. Anywhere. We are always ready to serve and protect."
Cheers went up like this was some sort of political speech.
