Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 14:54:32 EDT
From: MystryAuthr@aol.com
Subject: Chapter 25 of The Truth of Yesterday

Josh Aterovis is the author of Bleeding Hearts (ISBN: 1930928688) and the
upcoming Reap the Whirlwind (Coming in 2003), published by Renaissance
Alliance Publishing Inc. (http://www.rapbooks.biz) The Truth of Yesterday
is the fourth book in the Killian Kendall series.

Visit "Black Sheep Productions" for more information.
Official Site of the Killian Kendall Mystery Series
http://www.steliko.com/bleedinghearts


The Truth of Yesterday

Chapter 25

	Micah blinked at me in astonishment. He looked at the man I knew as
Neal and then back at me. "What did you say?" he asked in confusion,
obviously deciding that he had misheard me.

	"That's Neal," I hissed, tugging at his arm. I wanted to get out of
Neal's line of sight before he or Jake spotted me.

	Micah suddenly became a stubborn mule and planted his feet firmly
against my pull. "Neal as in...?"

	"As in your old boss. As in the guy in the newspaper clipping in
Jake's room. As in the guy I was just sitting across the table from in DC
earlier this week. Now move before they see us."

	He reluctantly allowed himself to be pulled behind a large
column. "I don't understand," he whined. "That's Fenton Black. I know it
is. I've never met him personally but I've been in his presence before. I
know him when I see him."

	"Who is Fenton Black?"

	"You've never heard of Fenton Black?"

	"If I had, would I be asking you who he is?"

	"He's probably the richest guy on the Eastern Shore, possible one
of the richest in the country. No one knows exactly how much money he has
or how he got it in the first place, just that it's an obscene amount. He's
originally from Columbia, South America.  He's known to be a bit eccentric
and if I said there are a lot of rumors about him it would be an
understatement."

	"What kind of rumors?"

	"Well, no one has ever been able to prove anything, but it's
whispered that he has pretty much every politician in the area in his
pocket and the ones he hasn't bought off are in his debt in some
way. Officially, he's in the import/export business; that's pretty vague
but it's said that all his imports aren't entirely legal. Drugs, for
instance. A few people have suggested that he's the kingpin of some sort of
large-scale organized crime society."

	"Like a mafia?"

	"Something along those lines."

	"But nothing can be proved?"

	"Not so far. Anyone that ever hints to the authorities that they
know facts about him seems to wind up dead of some unfortunate
accident. And to be honest, I don't know if catching him is a big priority
on anyone's list. The guy's sharp; he gives enormous amounts of money to
charity. I think he single handedly sustains several local charities.  In
some people's minds, his money pays for his sins."

	I peeked around the edge of the column. "Well, you can add running
an escort agency to his list of sins," I said, "Because that is definitely
the man I met on Monday who introduced himself to me as Neal."

	"This is just unbelievable," Micah muttered, peering over my
shoulder. "Well, at least now I know what Neal looks like."

	"You never met him the entire time you worked for him?"

	"As far as I know, no one who worked for him ever has."

	That gave me just a glimmer of hope that maybe Jake wasn't an
escort. Unless he'd changed his policy of never meeting his employees. Of
course, if Jake wasn't an escort, that begged the question of how Jake knew
him. So many things just weren't making sense right now.

	"You have to give him one thing, he's got balls," Micah said almost
admiringly.

	"What do you mean?" I asked, ducking back behind the column and
glaring at my boyfriend.

	"I mean meeting you and then showing up here?"

	"He wouldn't have any reason to expect me to be here," I
said. "Still, his picture could have wound up in the paper again."

	"Actually, he's notoriously freakish about having his picture
taken. Usually he won't allow it for any reason, and if someone takes one
without his permission he'll demand the entire roll of film."

	"Well, someone got away with it at least once, Jake has that
clipping."

	"You know, I remember when that was taken. It was earlier this
year. It was at some fundraiser for a children's hospital or something like
that. It was taken and published without his knowledge in some small local
paper. The paper mysteriously went under a few weeks later. I remember one
of the other reporters joked that it was because they published Fenton
Black's photo and everyone laughed that uncomfortably like you do when you
suspect that the joke might actually be true."

	"But the chance is still there that I could see him and recognize
him somewhere, somehow. That makes it a risk. He doesn't sound like the
kind of guy who takes risks.  Why would he meet with me?"

	"Probably because he didn't take you seriously. He thought it would
be better to meet with you and get you off his back. He never suspected to
run into you. Or maybe he's just getting cocky."

	"Oh jeez. Something you said just clicked. You're right, I think he
underestimated me at first, but I don't think he was making that mistake by
the end of our meeting. I could very well be on his hit list now."

	Micah paled. "So what do we do now?" he asked. "Somehow, I have a
feeling that it would be unhealthy for you to let him see you here."

	"I can't leave if that's what you're suggesting," I said
immediately.

	"Why not?"

	"I don't know why Jake is here with him. That's the whole reason
I'm here.  Remember? Novak pulled a lot of strings to get me these tickets;
he'd kick my ass if I wasted this opportunity."

	"Not if you don't have an ass to kick. Killian, this guy is
dangerous. Deadly dangerous. You're really playing with fire here. I think
we should leave."

	"Micah," I said calmly. "Think about what you're saying. Didn't we
just have this conversation a few days ago? Except it was me worrying about
your job. Do you remember what you said to me?"

	He grimaced. "Yeah, I remember. I said it was my job and I had to
do it."

	"Right, and then you said you would never ask me to give up an
investigation."

	"I'm not asking you to give up on your investigation."

	"You might as well be. You're asking me to compromise it. What's
the difference? If he's already decided I'm a liability then there isn't
much I can do to make it worse, and if he is still underestimating me, it
could work to my advantage. And all of that is beside the point, because I
don't intend to let him see me."

	"How are you going to avoid him seeing you?"

	I pulled the mask out of my jacket pocket and slipped it on. Most
people weren't wearing their masks, but enough people were that I wouldn't
draw any attention if I was.  "I've only met him once, he doesn't expect to
see me here, and I'm wearing a mask."

	He sighed. "Just be careful. Guys in his line of work can't afford
to be unobservant."

	"I'm always careful. I don't think we should stay together
though. Even if you never met him, he most likely knows what you look like
and if he sees us together he might put two and two together."

	He opened his mouth to argue but then nodded. He wasn't happy about
it, but he was willing to admit I was right. "Ok, we'll split up."

	"I'll let you know when I'm ready to leave."

	He nodded and turned sharply on his heel and started to walk
away. He stopped a few feet away and then came back.

	"I just remembered another rumor about Mr. Black that might be
important."

	"What's that?"

	"They say he likes young boys."

	"He's a pedophile?"

	"Maybe not that young. But Jake would probably be just about
right."

	I looked around the column again. Now that he'd put the idea in my
head, it did seem as if Jake was his date. Jake was wearing an expensive
looking tux that looked as if it had been made just for him. He wasn't
wearing a mask and his expression was easy to read-utter
boredom. Fenton/Neal, wearing an equally expensive white tuxedo, was
speaking quite earnestly with someone who I knew I had seen before but
couldn't place.

	"Who's he talking to?"

	"Who? Black? That's Ronald Humphrey, one of the other
commissioners. One of the ones not implicated in the big scandal."

	"Where would I have seen him?"

	"On the news possibly. He's been the most outspoken critic of the
article I wrote, calling it irresponsible journalism. Chances are he's
protesting so loudly because he has something to hide."

	"Do you think it means anything that he's talking to Neal-I mean
Fenton Black?"

	"It might, but it doesn't have to mean anything. Everyone wants to
talk to Fenton Black. He's like a celebrity around here. He has a lot of
money to throw around."

	"I want to get closer."

	"How are you going to do that without attracting his attention?"

	"Um...maybe you could create some kind of distraction..."

	"Like what?"

	"I don't know, do something outrageous. Pretend to fall down or
choke or something."

	"Killian, I have to think about my professional reputation. I might
have to interview some of these people and I don't want them to remember me
as the klutz at the ball."

	"Yeah, ok. You're right. How about if you just walk up to them and
start a conversation. You can just pretend to be a reporter asking that
Humphrey guy some questions."

	"First off, I wouldn't have to pretend to be a reporter; I am
one. Secondly, there are certain rules you follow at a bash like this. You
don't just walk up to people and start interrogating them. Not unless you
want to be thrown out on your keister, and trust me, Humphrey would do
it. He dislikes me that much."

	"Ok, we don't want that. Forget the distraction. I'll just move
around the outside edge of the room and try to work my way up behind them."

	"Sounds like a plan. I'll mingle. Good luck."

	I stuck my tongue at his retreating back and then slipped through
the crowd as inconspicuously as possible. Once I reached the wall, I began
to slowly work my way around behind where Black and Jake seemed to have
stationed themselves. Black didn't mingle so much as people came to pay
homage. While I was attempting to get into position, Humphrey had moved off
and already two more people had approached, spoken briefly, and then moved
reluctantly off. I could have sworn he was dismissing them like royalty. A
third person was speaking to him now and another waited off to one side.

	I made it all the way around the room until I was directly behind
them. Keeping a careful eye on Jake, who wasn't paying any attention to the
people approaching Black and was busy looking around the room, I started
easing up closer to where the two of them were standing. Finally, I was
close enough to eavesdrop. Or I would have been if not for a small group
nearby that seemed to have already imbibed a bit too much and were a little
on the loud side. They were laughing with their party laugh. You know the
one. Frantic and with a slightly hysterical edge? The one that says I'm
going to have fun even if it kills me.

	They quieted down for a moment as a short fat guy began to tell a
joke.  Something about an airplane and a pilot who leaves the intercom on
by mistake. I was finally able to hear Black and Jake.

	"Again, thank you so much for your generous donation," a woman was
finished up whatever conversation she'd been having with Black. She was
quite an imposing sight. To say she was top heavy would have been
misleading. She was heavy everywhere and still managed to look top
heavy. Her bosom was easily large enough to serve tea from. Altogether, she
rather resembled a cruise ship.

	"You're very welcome," Black said. "Now, if you'll excuse me." The
behemoth accepted his dismissal and moved away. "Tiresome woman," he said
as soon as she was out of earshot.

	"They're all tiresome," Jake said. "I hate these things."

	"Jacob, we've been through this."

	"Yeah, I know. It's part of the bargain."

	I couldn't hear what was said next because the rowdy group burst
into raucous laughter as Dumpy delivered the punch line. When I could make
out what he was saying again, it sounded like Black was placing a drink
order. It only took me a second to remember that the closest bar was
directly behind me. Before I could react, Jake nodded and turned around and
started in my direction. For a moment, I panicked, but then I remembered
that I was wearing a mask and just turned casually (I hoped) to the side,
as if I was with the band of merry jokesters.

	Stupid, that was way too close, I scolded myself. I had to be more
careful. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Jake approach the bar and
place Black's drink order. He waited while it was mixed, and then carried
it back, without once so much as glancing in my direction. I was just about
to break cover when he leaned in and whispered something in Black's
ear. Black nodded, and then to my stunned horror, Jake turned and walked
right up to me.

	"Can I have a word with you in the hall, please?" He spoke in a
civil enough tone, but his eyes were flashing with anger.

	"Of course," I said quickly. What else could I do without causing a
scene?

	Jake spun on his heel and marched stiffly towards an inconspicuous
door behind the bar that I had completely failed to notice earlier. I
followed him through the door and into a completely deserted but brightly
lit, if sterile, hallway. Jake kindly waited for the door to close before
ripping into me.

	"What the fuck do you think your doing?" he snarled as soon as the
door snicked shut.

	"Huh?" I responded brilliantly. No one can ever say I don't think
quickly on my feet.

	"Damn it, Killian. I know you've been snooping around, talking to
my old friends. Danielle called me in a panic and wanted to know what was
going on, that you'd told her she was in danger because she knew me or some
shit like that." I knew that would come back to bite me in the butt. "What
kind of fucked up shit is this, Killian? I thought you were my friend."

	"Calm down, Jake," I started, which is, of course, always the worst
thing to say to someone who is upset.

	"Calm down? You want me to calm down? After I find out you're
sneaking around talking to people about me behind my back? And then I catch
you following me around here at the AIDS Ball and eavesdropping on my
conversation? And you want me to calm down?" His voice had been steadily
climbing throughout that whole tirade, but it reached a crescendo on that
last question that I thought would bring security running. I decided a
judicious fib was in order.

	"I'm not following you," I said in what I hoped was a completely
believable voice. I pulled off the mask and tried to arrange an expression
of righteous indignation on my face but I was feeling so guilty that I'm
not sure I pulled it off. "I'm here with Micah."

	"Bullshit." I opened my mouth to argue but he cut me off. "Oh, I
know you're here with Micah. I saw you both hiding behind that damn column,
peeking out at us every few minutes. And then you come creeping up behind
us. And I know you've been following me for a while now. I've seen you
behind me in traffic and at the mall once. At the time, I just thought it
was a coincidence and I wondered why you didn't say anything.  Now I know
it's because you're...you're...investigating me!" He spat out the last two
words as if they tasted nasty, which they probably did. He stomped back and
forth a few paces while I tried to decide what to say.

	"Jake, listen..." I tried, but he wheeled around and silenced me
with an angry slash of his hand.

	"So far, Fenton doesn't know you're here; he's too busy playing
benevolent king to the greedy peasants." So I wasn't the only one who'd
made that comparison. "But all I have to do is make a scene and he'll have
your ass in jail so fast you won't know what hit you. I'll say you're
harassing me, or that you tried to force yourself on me here in the hall."

	"You wouldn't do that to me," I said, aghast.

	"I didn't think you'd stoop to sneaking around behind my back
either." There was genuine hurt in his eyes and it killed me to see it.

	"It's only because we care about you," I said.

	"Oh please. Spare me."

	"Really. Everyone is worried about you. You stop talking to your
friends, you don't come home at night, and then you suddenly start throwing
around a huge amount of cash that you won't explain where it came from."

	"Mom is behind this, isn't she? God. I should have known. I knew
someone had been through my stuff. That settles it. I'm moving out."

	"You're only 16!"

	"I'm almost 17."

	"You're still underage. What are you doing with this Fenton Black
guy? He's bad news, Jake."

	"What do you know? You don't even know him!"

	"We've met."

	That stopped him. "You've met?" There was a hint of jealousy in his
voice.  "Where? How?"

	"Through another case."

	He waved it away. "Well, you don't know him. I'm old enough to make
my own decisions."

	"And what decision are you making? To throw away your family and
friends? For what?"

	"For what? I'll tell you for what. For a life I could never have
with my so-called family and friends. Fenton gives me anything I need or
want. He takes care of me."

	"Does he love you? And what's your end of the bargain?"

	"What good is love? What has love ever gotten me? Hurt, that's
what. My whole family is dead and my brother killed half of them. And tried
to kill me. Before I even have time for that to sink in, I'm yanked away
from the only people alive that I still knew and cared about. I go off to
live with complete strangers on the other side of the country and everyone
expects me to be just fine. And then, just when I start to make friends and
enjoy life again, Mommy Dearest decides it will be good for me to move back
here where I can be close to family. Good for her is more like it. And my
family? Where to start? No one gave a damn about me. No one ever once asked
me how I was doing, if I was ok. No one ever cared about me until I start
throwing a little money around and then suddenly everyone is so concerned
for me. Give me a fucking break. And you! The person I thought was my
friend! You're too busy following me around and talking to people about me,
you can't even talk to me. If you were so damn concerned for me, why didn't
you just walk up to me and ask me what was going on?" He paused to wipe
angry tears from his eyes.

	I was reeling from his revelations and his accusations. I'd never
known he'd felt like this. After everything he'd been through, why hadn't
it ever occurred to me that he would be having a hard time dealing with it
all? Because I'd been too caught up in my own life to think about anyone
else. I'd talked, really talked, to Jake only once since he'd been back. He
was right; I'd done a piss poor job of being a friend.

	"Jake, I'm..."

	"Sorry? Well guess what, Killian? It's too late for that now. Do
you know how many nights I've laid awake in bed for hours, wishing you'd
just let Todd finish me off?  At least that way I wouldn't have to be
feeling all this pain. But you know what? I finally found a way to make the
pain go away, at least for a little while. So I don't need you, and I don't
need Judy, and I don't need my supposed friends who never really cared
about me either. The only reason they ever hung out with me is because they
wanted something from me. They wanted me, but not for me, but because of
what I look like."

	I didn't even try to argue with him. I couldn't argue with him. He
was right.

	"So save your sorry's for someone else, I don't need them. I'm fine
now. I have everything I need. You can quit following me around, and you
can stop asking questions, and you can tell Mom to fuck off, because I
don't need her anymore either."

	"Jake, please, just listen to me. Your mom loves you, she really
does. She's tried to do what she thought was best for you."

	"Like leaving me with that child abusing monster when I was just a
defenseless little baby? She didn't want me then, she already had a golden
boy. Why does she want me now? To appease her guilt?"

	"It's not like that!"

	"How would you know? And if she really cared so much about me,
wouldn't you think she'd at least ask me if I wanted to move back to
Maryland, instead of just springing it on me one day when I come home?"

	"Did you ever try to talk to her about it?"

	"Why bother? She does what she wants when she wants. She can't even
handle this like a normal mother; she has to hire a private detective. I
don't know why she didn't just get her boyfriend to do her dirty work for
her. Why'd she have to drag you into it? Or maybe you volunteered for the
job of snooping on me. You always did seem to like watching me when you
thought I wasn't looking." I flinched. "I was good enough to look at, but
not good enough to love. Even then, you chose Asher over me. I guess you
got tired of him too, huh? Maybe Micah had better watch out."

	I knew he was baiting me, that he wanted me to lash out in some
way, but even so, I could feel my temper rising. I wanted to defend
myself. I wanted to tell him that wasn't what happened and he knew it. But
I also knew it was exactly what he wanted. A real fight. It's hard to fight
with only one person angry. Stay calm, I told myself. If you lose it, it'll
just give him more ammunition.

	"Jake, I'm sorry I hurt you. I've said it so many times; I don't
know what else to say. I'm sorry I've been such a shitty friend since
you've been back. You're right; I haven't been there for you. But this
isn't the answer. Can't we try to start over?"

	All the fight seemed to drain out of him all at once. He almost
seemed to collapse in on himself. "No," he said in a soft, broken
voice. "No we can't. It's far too late now.  Too much has happened. I'm in
too deep. I can't start over."

	"Too deep into what? It's never too late. I can help."

	He laughed a hollow sounding laugh. This new, withered Jake was
somehow much scarier than the angry, overblown one from just a few seconds
ago. "No one can help. I'm beyond help. Can't you see? Just give up. Go
back to your happy little life. It's too late."

	"Jake..."

	"It's too late," he screamed. "It's too fucking late!" He slumped
back against the wall and slowly slid to the floor. I rushed over and knelt
at his side, but he shoved me away with surprising strength. I landed hard
on my butt with an oof of surprise. I was pretty sure I'd have a bruise
there in the morning.

	"Just go," he said as he began to sob. "Get out before I call
security."

	"Jake, please let me help."

	"I told you, you can't help. Get out. Now."

	"But..."

	"Get out! Get out! Get out!" he screamed.

	The door we'd come through earlier-had it really just been a matter
of minutes?-swung open and Fenton Black stepped into the hall. It only took
a moment for his gaze to fall on the two of his. His eyes swept over Jake
with a look of annoyance. His expression when he took me in was harder to
read. There was definitely surprise there, and recognition; the other
emotion was less definitive, but I didn't need to know what it was to know
it was dangerous.

	"Go," Jake hissed.

	I didn't need to be told again. I was on my feet and racing down
the hall before the word was off his lips. I heard Black yelling angrily
behind me, but he wasn't pursuing. It only took a few more seconds for his
words to sink in for me to realize he wouldn't need to chase me. He had the
entire security staff at his beck and call. I risked a glance back to see
him screaming into a small walkie-talkie.

	I started looking frantically for an exit. I spotted one up ahead
just as a door to my left burst open and a burly security guard blinked at
me in surprise. For a guy his size, his reflexes were quick; he made a
lunge for me. Luckily, I was quicker. For once, size was on my side. I
slipped under his arm and bolted down the hall. Another guard, shorter and
thinner than the first guy, came around a corner in front of me, but
fortunately, the exit was between him and me. I slammed into the exit door
with my full weight and was very gratified to feel it fly open in front of
me. Some small part of my brain had been worried that it might be locked. I
didn't take the time to breathe a sigh of relief, however. The chase was
still on.

	I sprinted across the parking lot and ducked behind a car. I tried
to control my breathing as the door exploded open again and the guards
raced through it. They had been joined by one more. They all three stopped
just outside the door and looked around. I stayed very still, trying not to
make any sounds.

	"Should we look for him?" the shorter one asked.

	"He's gone by now," the tall one said. "Why'd we want him anyway?
Was he a gate-crasher?"

	"I don't know. All I know is that Mr. Black wanted us to catch
him," the burly guy responded.

	Shorty snorted. "Well I guess we know why Black wanted him, a
pretty boy like that."

	"Yeah, we shoulda just let him go even if we had caught him,"
Stretch said with a snicker. "Poor kid. He probably just didn't want to
play with Mr. Black."

	Burly elbowed him in the side. "Why don't you both shut up?" He
lifted his radio to his mouth and reported that they'd lost me. A burst of
static mixed with curses was their response. Mr. Black was not happy.

	Neither was I. I might have just escaped from an immediate danger,
but I knew Black had recognized me. I was still very much at risk. Probably
even more so now. I waited until the guards retreated into the building,
tails between their legs. I quickly dug out my cell phone and dialed
Micah's number.

	"Where are you?" he demanded as soon as he answered. "I looked
around and you and Jake were both gone, and now I can't find Black anywhere
either."

	"I'm the parking lot behind the hotel," I said.

	"What are you doing there?"

	"It's a long story. Go get the car as quickly as you can and come
pick me up."

	"Killian, what happened?"

	"I'll tell you when you pick me up. For now, let's just say I'm in
big trouble."