Twists of Fate - Chapter 4 (PG-13)

[francis]

The usual disclaimers still apply. Betaed by redwinter101.
This one is written in first person Josh’s POV.

Josh is trying to help.

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link from chapter 3: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=541
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Some days just got worse by the minute; and that day was one of them. It was more than Mick’s presence that irritated me; it was the way he looked at Beth, the constant circles he paced around her living room and the sheer nervous energy bursting out of him. He stroked his hand over his face in desperation.

I could tell Beth was worried - she had that look she normally reserved for witnesses to a crime. Which meant she believed him and wanted to help. Okay, so he had saved her life a week ago, but did that mean she had to believe everything he said? She was a professional; surely she could see the line of bullshit he was spinning us?

And then Spaulding called. Well, we didn’t know it was him at the time, the display showing it was Julia calling, and Beth seemed worried about what to say. Of course, she’d just helped a man declare Julia’s boyfriend a murderer, and that would put a strain on their friendship to say the least. Mick and I both watched her closely as she took the call.

Taking a deep breath, she answered, stepping forward while talking, as if trying to give her argument more weight. „Okay, I know you must be furious with me, and I know you love him and all that, but it’s true, Julia, and you really had to know.“

Whatever Julia said made Beth tense up. Mick picked up on it in a second, looking up in alarm. He grabbed the second handset in the living room. Beth stayed silent, clearly at a loss about what to do. Mick paced. „What do you want?“ he asked, seething with anger.

I was struggling to work out what was going on. Who was on the phone? Beth didn’t say anything but lunged for the answering machine to record the conversation. Mick repeated, „What do you want?“

Beth held the handset out to me, so I could listen in. LeeJay was talking and yelled at Mick. „You do not talk to me that way. I know what you are, Mick.“

What was Spaulding playing at? What did he know about St. John that made Mick so jumpy? He was clearly afraid that LeeJay would reveal something, given the fact that we were listening in. He kept still and waited, tense, looking ready to run.

Spaulding didn’t give anything away about Mick, but told him what he wanted in no uncertain terms. Mick had to turn himself in to the police or Julia would be dead. Mick knew it was a trap and started to argue, saying he wouldn’t admit to something he never did. But with the threat of Julia being killed like Eileen he had no choice. LeeJay gave him one hour, then let Julia have the phone. Julia pleaded, she sobbed, panic clear in her voice, then the line went dead.

Mick had been right all along. Spaulding had killed Eileen all those years ago and faked her suicide, now he was free and already playing his evil games again. He had some vendetta against Mick and Julia was just a pawn.

I really wanted to help, but I couldn’t see how. If Mick didn’t do what Spaulding wanted, Julia would be dead. But if Mick confessed at least we had proof that he had been coerced and the police could trace the call, so Mick would be free within a few hours. I tried to get him to comply.

Mick would have none of it. He didn’t believe one hour would be enough to find LeeJay, and he was sure the thug would kill Julia anyway.

While we argued about the best way to handle things, Beth replayed the tape. She stopped it at „I know what you are, Mick.“ She stared him full in the face, and challenged him to tell her what that meant. Mick stared back, silent.

I searched frantically for a solution, and thought perhaps my friend Jake would be able to fake a statement that Mick was in custody. It wouldn’t help to find Julia or resolve this mess, but it would keep Mick out of prison. I needed to get him to open up more, and every mention of police got him to close down. There was a lot more going on here, but now wasn’t the time for questions.

So I set off to play my part in this operation. When I got to the door he called out to me to thank me. I just gave him a nod and a smile, and exchanged a smile with Beth. I had the feeling I was being taken advantage of, but this was the only way to get Mick to cooperate and have any chance of finding Julia.

While driving I thought about what was going on in my absence. Why would Mick stay at Beth’s when Spaulding would know to look for him there? And the police would know, too, once I played the tape.

I couldn’t see him just sitting, waiting for the police to come and arrest him. Would he try to find LeeJay on his own? But if he knew where to find him he would have told the police, wouldn’t he? Or would he make a run for it, leave L.A. until the case was closed? Then again, he would still have to prove that he didn’t shoot LeeJay, and if he could do that, then why run?

He had a plan, I knew it, and I just hoped he wouldn’t drag Beth into it.

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I hurried to Jake’s office and told him about my plan. He wasn’t convinced and told me he had to ask his superior or he would be knee deep in shit. So, I called Lt. Davis and asked for his help.

„Why are you doing this, Josh? You’re messing up a police investigation, and your girlfriend is harboring a fugitive with your consent.“

„I heard the desperation in Julia’s voice and the arrogance in Spaulding’s. He’s determined to bring Mick down for whatever reason, and Julia won’t survive this day if we don’t stop him.“

„Why didn’t Mick come over and just sit out a day in jail? It isn’t that bad, you know.“

„I have no idea, Carl. But we have no time. I have a tape that clearly proves LeeJay is blackmailing Mick and holding Julia hostage. I think it proves that Mick didn’t shoot him, it’s all part of a plan. And if you trace the call it will lead you to wherever he’s holding Julia. Keeping Mick out of prison is not the most important thing now, but telling LeeJay that he got what he wanted will buy us time.“

Carl relented and the press releases went out.

When I got back to Beth’s apartment to tell them, it was empty. Damn it! Not only had he run, he’d taken Beth with him. Her car was still here. He must have found out where LeeJay was. Why in hell didn’t he just tell me so the police could rescue her? And why did he take Beth on such a dangerous operation?

I was seething and felt like punching someone. A very specific someone. Someone tall and dark in jeans and a henley, preferably. Or someone older, bald and arrogant. I wanted to wipe that sneer from Spaulding’s voice.

I’d been on the right side of the law for so long now, always playing by the rules, always in control. Sure, I’d make a deal when necessary, but I always knew where the line was and which side of it I belonged. For the first time ever I thought to myself that we wouldn’t be in this mess if someone had just killed LeeJay years ago.

It was a futile train of thought. It was just the stress of knowing Beth was in danger and her friend was held hostage by a madman, and the feeling that I couldn’t help. I had seen this reaction in relatives of murder victims. I remembered telling them that justice would be done, that the system would work. But now that it was me in this position, I wasn’t so sure. Everyone would be better off if Spaulding were dead and I wasn’t worried about staying within the law.


I made sure my cell phone was on. Now all I could do was wait.

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link directly to chapter 5: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=544
link to chapter 4 1/2 (Beth's POV): viewtopic.php?f=75&t=543

[Raven]

Great update francis. Josh will always be on the right side of the law. He is bound by his job and his inner code of ethics and that contributes to his frustration. Mick, on the other hand, can get away with stepping over all boundaries...and taking Beth with him, further fueling Josh's frustration. Next time he sees her, she'll be in vampire shock. I'm so looking forward to that conversation.

[jen]

Francis!

This is wonderful!!!

We are right now at a point just before the big reveal, when Mick tells Beth what he is after the rescue of Julia and the incident with the silver buckshot when Beth saves Mick.

Wonderful context. I really feel for Josh. I think he recognized a romantic rival from the first time he layed eyes on Mick, but I think he had a grudging respect for the enigmatic P.I.

I hope Carl comes around.

Off to read more!!

Thanks!

[jen]

Hi, Francis. Here for a reread. This is amazing.

I haven't seen out of the Past for several months. It wasn't one of the episodes rerun on the last SyFy channel Moonlight marathon, and this just triggers the memories. Lovely!

Really looking forward to the next chapter!!!!!!

Thanks!