Infidelity

  Infidelity

  By

  Debbie Gould

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Infidelity by Debbie Gould

  Red Rose Publishing

  Copyright© 2007 Debbie Gould

  ISBN: 978-1-60435-171-2

  ISBN: 1-60435-171-3

  Cover Artist: Shirley Burnett

  Editor:

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Due to copyright laws you cannot trade, sell or give any ebooks away.

  Red Rose Publishing

  www.redrosepublishing.com

  Forestport, NY 13338

  Infidelity

  By

  Debbie Gould

  Chapter One

  Dan’s eyes flew open at the sound of his phone ringing. As he fumbled for the receiver, he glanced at the bedside clock. Three-thirty in the morning. Damn, it was never good news at this hour. He took a deep breath, then blew it out and answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Oh, Danny, thank God you’re there. I’m in trouble here. It’s bad this time, real bad. I don’t know what to do. Oh shit, Danny. What am I gonna do?”

  Her voice came over the phone shaky and breathless. She was almost to the point of hysteria.

  He was immediately alert, his heart pounding in his chest. Melanie was always the level-headed one in the family. He’d never heard her sound like this, like she was about to jump out of her skin.

  “Melanie, sweetheart, calm down. Take a deep breath and talk to me. What’s happened?”

  “Oh, Danny, I messed up big. I caught him with a woman at his office this afternoon. I thought I could finally be free, so I told him I was done, that I was leaving. He lost it, Danny, totally lost it. I truly thought he was going to kill me this time. He just left, but I need to get out of here before he comes back. He took my car keys with him and it’s snowing so damn hard I can’t walk anywhere. I need help. Please Danny, I really need your help.”

  Dan couldn’t fathom what the hell was going on, but the terror in Melanie’s voice told him he’d better figure it out. He pulled on his jeans and threw a shirt over his head.

  “Back up, Mel, what do you mean you thought he was going to kill you this time? What is going on?” Dan had a strong suspicion he wasn’t going to like her answer.

  “There’s no time now to get into it. Danny, please just come help me.”

  “I need to know something, Mel, like why you wanted to finally be free? What the hell’s been going on?”

  He was having a hard time hearing what she was saying through the sound of her sobs and hitching breath. Dan suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He forced the lump in his throat down and tried to calm her. He got his socks and shoes on and found a sweatshirt.

  “Honey, calm down. Of course, I’m going to help you. Can you call a cab to take you to a hotel ‘til I can get there?”

  “No, I already tried; it’s like a blizzard outside. Nobody will come out.”

  “Okay, get your things together and wait for me. I’ll be there in an hour or so.”

  “Danny, it’s a two hour drive and it’s snowing.”

  “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you have an ex-cop for a brother with a heavy-duty four-wheeled drive pickup. Don’t worry. I’ll be there before you know it.”

  “Danny...hurry. Please be careful. There’s so much you don’t know about Tony. He’s a dangerous man. I can’t live like this anymore. I’m so, so tired of it all.”

  Shit! Shit! Shit! Why didn’t he know any of this? Was he so damn busy with his own life he didn’t know the hell his sister had been living through? He had to know one thing before he hung up. “Mel, how long...how long have you been living like this?”

  There was a long pause before she answered, followed by a deep sigh. “Since the day I married him.”

  “Damn it, Melanie! Why didn’t you tell me? Why the fuck didn’t you get out?” Why didn’t you know asshole? Why weren’t you there for her? Dan could hear her crying again, but could barely hear her words.

  “Please, don’t hate me. Please, Danny, I couldn’t bear it.”

  “Aw, Mel, I’m sorry. I could never hate you. You’re my baby sister. I love you, sweetheart. I will fix this for you. You’re coming home and everything will be fine. I promise. I’ll have my cell phone on and I’ll be there before you know it. I love you.”

  “Thanks, Danny. I love you too.”

  Dan hung the phone up, grabbed the whole thing, and flung it against the wall.

  “Fuck!”

  How could he have missed this? How could he have allowed his sister to live through five fucking years of unimaginable hell? Had he really been so damn preoccupied with his own damn life? She only lived two hours away, for shit’s sake. Why hadn’t he visited her more often? Made more of an effort?

  He’d been so caught up in his own dramas that he hadn’t even noticed his sister was in trouble. When Hannah left him four years ago, he’d thrown himself into his work and hardly noticed life went on around him. Shit!

  Dan grabbed his wallet, shoved the nine-millimeter into its holster and threw on his coat. He left his room, went down the hall, and took the stairs to Luke’s room two at a time before bursting through his bedroom door.

  Luke, his best friend from high school and partner in their PI and security business, needed to know Dan would be out of town for a while. They became partners six months ago when Luke was discharged from the Air Force due to injuries he received in Iraq.

  Dan felt for the light switch, and when he turned, found himself staring down the wrong side of the barrel of a nine-millimeter.

  “Jesus H. Christ, Luke! It’s me.”

  Luke immediately swung the gun up and away from Dan’s head.

  “God damn it, Dan! What the hell is wrong with you? I could have killed you. Shit!” Luke turned and walked away from him.

  Dan knew Luke well enough to give him a second to gather himself. Luke had told him about some of the shit he had seen and done when he was a Ranger. Dan knew it was the watered down version and could only imagine the demons that lived inside his friend. Dan also knew better than to bust in on him as he’d just done, but with the call from Melanie, he had forgotten that.

  “Sorry man, I wasn’t thinking. Look, I just got a call from Melanie and I wanted to let you know I have to leave. I’m not sure when I’ll get back, but just so you know, I’m bringing her home with me. You’re going to have to meet with Kahn in the morning. I doubt I’ll be back in time to make it. He wants us to install a security system in his daughter’s lake house. I’m supposed to meet him there at nine to do a walk-through.”

  Dan turned to leave when Luke’s voice stopped him. “Wait just one goddamned minute. What the hell are you talking about? What kind of trouble?Legal?”

  Dan didn’t want to get into this with Luke. Number one, he didn’t have time for it. Number two, Luke and Melanie had a history. He knew she wouldn’t want Luke to know what was going on. He shoved a hand through his hair. “No, not legal. I really don’t have the time to get into it now. I needed to be there like five minutes ago. I’ll fill you in when I get back.”

  Luke was dressed and grabbing his boots before Dan finished talking. “Fill me in on the way. Let’s go.” He grabbed his jacket and gun and pushed by Dan to get out the door.

  Dan ran down the stairs and caught up with Luke at the back door. “Damn it, Luke, there are
things you don’t know, and I’m fairly sure Mel wouldn’t want you to.”

  Luke stopped, hand on the doorknob, and hesitated for a quick second. He took a deep breath, then opened the door without looking back.

  “Probably not, but if she is in trouble, and she must be to have you this wound up, I’m going. If it turns out you don’t need my help, then I’ll stand down. She won’t have to deal with me. But if you do need me, I’ve got your back, always. And so does she. That’s what friends and partners do. I’ll deal with the personal issues. Let’s just get going.”

  Dan shook his head and smiled. It was good to have Luke back. He’d missed his best friend the nine years he’d been away. It was nice to know he could count on him when the chips were down. He just hoped Melanie agreed. “Okay partner, let’s go.”

  They jumped in Dan’s truck. He drove while Luke laced up his boots and put his jacket on. Dan and Luke had been friends since they could walk. There wasn’t anything one wouldn’t do for the other. There wasn’t anything they couldn’t say to each other or talk about, except Melanie. He really dreaded telling Luke what was going on.

  Twenty miles down the road Luke couldn’t stand it anymore. He wanted to know just what the hell this was all about. Understandably, with his and Melanie’s past, he and Dan had an unspoken agreement not to discuss Melanie for the sake of their friendship.

  So, he got by with listening to bits and pieces of their phone conversations or when Dan talked to other people about his sister. Luke would shift a little closer to listen in. He had no one to blame for that but himself. He was the one who screwed up and lost the girl. A mistake he regretted. His only solace was in knowing she was happy, and he hadn’t screwed up her life the way he had his own.

  Luke took a deep breath and looked over at Dan. “Okay, we’re on our way. Fill me in.”

  Dan was silent for a moment. Luke was beginning to think he wasn’t going to answer him. “It seems Mel has been having some trouble with her husband.”

  Luke stiffened. This was not what he wanted to hear. “What kind of trouble?”

  Dan shook his head. “Look, I’m pretty sure Mel wouldn’t want me discussing this with you, and from what I just found out, I can’t say as I would blame her.”

  “Dan, just spit it out. I am the last person who would judge her. I hope you know that.”

  ‘Yeah, I do. I just don’t think she does. Anyway, she called to say she needed to get out of the house. Apparently, she found her husband cheating on her and told him she wanted a divorce. He threatened her, and she is very afraid of him. She’s afraid he’s going to kill her.”

  Luke’s stomach flipped and bile clawed up his throat. This didn’t sound like the happy life he imagined for her.

  “Is he home now? If she’s that scared of him, why doesn’t she drive somewhere public and wait for us instead of staying there?”

  “He’s not home right now and they just got dumped on with a shitload of snow. She said not even the cabs are running. Plus, he took her car keys with him when he left.”

  “Why is she so afraid of him, Dan? What the hell has been going on?”

  “I don’t know. When she said she was afraid he was going to kill her, she said this time. I asked her what that meant, but she wouldn’t tell me. I did ask her how long this had been going on, and she said since she married him.”

  Luke could feel the heat rising in his face. His voice shook with anger. “Are you trying to tell me Melanie’s husband has been abusing her for years and you had no fucking clue?! How the hell could that happen? You two are supposed to be close. How could you not know this was happening to her?”

  “Look, you don’t have to beat me over the head with it. I fucked up. I don’t know how I could have missed something like this. Melanie is one of the most important people in my life, and I’ve let her down. Do you know how that makes me feel?”

  Luke took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. Sorry I blew up at you like that. Why doesn’t she go to the cops? Have the bastard arrested.”

  “Probably because he is a cop. A decorated, highly regarded, detective. Used to work Vice. Everyone thinks he’s this hero, a super cop. I doubt anyone would believe Melanie. Beyond being a cop he also has some pretty hefty political contacts.”

  Luke thrust a hand through his hair. “So she’s basically a prisoner in her own home.” Damn, he couldn’t believe this was happening. She had to be living in hell. It was something he knew well. All this time he thought he was doing the right thing by her by staying away.

  “I don’t know how I missed all this. She’s changed, Luke. She’s not the fun, life-loving girl she used to be. How could I not see that?”

  “I’m not sure you realize what your sister meant to me back in the day. She was everything to me. All this time I have been patting myself on the back, telling myself what an honorable thing I did by breaking it off with her. What a bunch of bullshit! I know I hurt her back then. What you need to know now is that I will help the both of you get through this. I’ll do what I need to make this up to her.”

  “Don’t you think you’re taking a lot on those big shoulders of yours, Luke? Besides, it’s not me you need to convince, is it?”

  Melanie sat cross-legged on her bed. She was finally ready to get the hell away from Tony. She had always known Danny would help her, but had been too afraid and ashamed to ask him. Besides, she hadn’t wanted to put him in that position. Tony was not a man who would allow her to leave without retaliation.

  When she discovered that one of his attacks on her left her pregnant, she knew it was only a matter of time. If she were to protect her baby, she would need to leave. She still hadn’t told Danny about the baby.

  Not because she was ashamed; she loved her baby more than life. He was giving her the strength she needed to get her life back together. But, she was ashamed about the violent way he was conceived. She never wanted Danny to know what her marriage was like.

  Well, he was going to find out soon enough, wasn’t he? She got up from the bed and started shoving clothes into an overnight bag. Her left wrist throbbed where Tony had grabbed it and twisted earlier. Between her wrist and her swollen right eye, she figured she’d gotten off easy this time.

  She needed to concentrate on getting out of here. The little boy she carried was her world. She’d had nothing to live for before him, but now she could see a new future for herself and her son.

  God, how much longer until Danny got here? An hour and fifteen minutes had passed since she called him. Please, let him get here before Tony comes back. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed him, unable to wait any longer.

  Dan’s cell phone rang, breaking the silence that filled the cab of the pick-up. Dan handed the phone to Luke so he could concentrate on driving. Only fifteen minutes away and he had the suspicion that every minute would count.

  “Hello.” Nothing but silence answered him. “Lainie? Is that you?”

  Luke heard a gasp when he used his old nickname for her. “Lainie, please answer me. Are you okay?”

  Melanie’s voice trembled as she answered. “I’m fine. Could I please speak with my brother?”

  Luke handed the phone over to Dan. “Melanie? Honey, are you alright? We’re about fifteen minutes away.”

  “Why, Dan? Why is he with you? I didn’t even know he was home! How could you do this to me?”

  Her voice sounded nearly hysterical to him. He glanced over at Luke who was watching intently. Christ! Why did things have to be so difficult?

  “Listen to me, Mel, everything is going to work out. I promise you. No worries, right?” That had always been their motto. No worries.

  “No worries? This has got to be one of the worst nights of my life and you bring him with you. Are you trying to shame me more than I already am?”

  “Listen, Mel, no one is judging you or your situation. Shit happens. I am here to make sure nothing happens to you ever again, and I mean that. No one will hur
t you again.” He gave Luke a pointed look.

  “Okay, Danny, I’m sorry. It was just such a shock. I ¼“

  Dan heard a loud crash and Melanie’s scream. “Oh God, he’s back Danny. It’s too late.”

  “Stay on the line, Mel, don’t disconnect. I’m giving the phone to Luke so he can three-way nine-one-one. Hang on, honey, we’re almost there.” Dan threw the phone to Luke and stomped on the accelerator.

  Luke got the nine-one-one operator on the line and gave her Melanie’s address as Dan gave it to him. He switched back over to Melanie so that now the nine-one-one operator could also hear what was happening since he had no idea himself.

  “Lainie? You still there? Tell me what’s going on.” He could barely hear her whispered voice coming through the phone.

  “He’s home. He’s downstairs yelling for me. It’s too late, Luke. I can hear him coming up the stairs.”

  Luke could hear the angry voice of a man getting closer. Never had he been so terrified for someone in his life. The blood raced through his body, pounding in his head. He felt impotent, useless. His hand clenched the phone tight, turning his knuckles white. There wasn’t a damn thing he could do for her.

  “No, Lainie, it’s not too late. You just hang tight. We’re coming. You hear me, Lainie? We’re on the way.” He pleaded with her to hear him, to hang on to hope while he was losing it himself. Just a few more minutes he told himself.

  Luke heard Melanie scream and the sound of a door splintering apart.

  Chapter Two

  Melanie screamed as her bedroom door shattered and Tony came storming into the room. She backed herself into the corner of the room, clutching the phone like a lifeline. She saw when Tony noticed her packed overnight bag. His eyes widened and, if possible, his face grew even redder.