Part 362
Pushing the dressing room door open, Howie looked at David as he lounged on the couch smoking a cigarette. He was arrogant even in the face of going to prison. Raoul and Carlos stood as angry sentinels on either side of the couch. They looked away from their charge only when they heard the door click shut behind Howie.
"Boss?"
Howie held his hand up without taking his eyes off David. "How much?"
"For what?"
"How much are you being paid for the story?"
"Ten grand."
"I’ll give you fifty to forget the story and stay the hell out of our lives."
"Whoa! Fifty grand! Sarah was a hell of a good fuck but fifty grand?!"
The two bodyguards clenched their fists but Howie, his jaw muscles tight, remained calm and shook his head to stop them. "Look, I love my wife a great deal and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her."
David took a long drag on the cigarette eyeing Howie. "Anything, huh? The cops are standing out there to haul me in. Make it a hundred thousand, drop the charges, and I’m out of your life and the story disappears."
Howie considered what David said and Raoul moved to him. "Boss, you pay him, you’re leaving yourself wide open for him to come back. Let me take care of him."
He shook his head, "No, Raoul. I’ll pay him what he wants and when he leaves, we’ll never see him again."
"No problem," said David. "Personally, this is NOT for me, all these teeny boppers."
"Give me your account. I’ll do a cash transfer."
David handed Howie the account number as he pulled out his cell phone. Moving away from the three men for privacy, Howie took care of the transfer.
Turning back, Howie said, "It’s done."
Standing up, David asked, "How’d you know?"
"I remembered you from the party in New York. Sarah had commented on your eyes after seeing you. Tell me…Why?"
"Revenge."
"What did Sarah ever do to you?"
"Blew me off for that asshole Russell."
"When?"
"The Friday before her accident. What difference does it make? She made her wishes very plain."
"You didn’t know her very well, did you?"
"Not really. I’d known Russell all my life but the night Sarah blew me off was the first night I’d been back to Fernandina in about 10 years."
"Russell had been shooting her up with whatever drugs he was moving for about 8 months. She was so terrified of him and desperate for the next fix, she didn’t know which way was up. She blew you off in fear for her life."
David’s arrogance was deflated and he looked at Howie in disbelief. "You mean…all those things he bragged about…her liking it rough, being wild and shit…"
"It was all talk. Sarah was terrified of him and had tried to leave him several times but he held her with the threat of taking her daughter and the drugs."
Howie could tell David was remembering that night. Thinking aloud, he said, "So I didn’t misread her…she could have been coming on to me."
"I expect Sarah saw you as a chance to get her out of there, someone who probably could stand up to Russell. Look, you’ve got your money. Carlos will go with you to clear you with the cops. Get your things and clear out."
A defeated man, David said, "No problem." Starting out the door, he looked back. "You really love her, don’t you?"
Without hesitation, Howie said, "I’d have paid far more to protect her. She’s my heart."
"For what it’s worth…."
"Don’t say it," said Howie in disbelief that this man could even consider apologizing for what he had done. "You raped my wife…my PREGNANT wife. You put my unborn children at risk and you tried to ruin our reputations. An apology is a waste of your breath and my time. Come back, make any attempts to get more money or contact either one of us, and I won’t be responsible for what happens to you."
David knew he was referring to Raoul and his offer to kill him. "Not a problem."
Carlos followed David out and Howie collapsed into a chair. He hung his head running his fingers through his hair as his tears began to fall. His shoulders shook as he fought the sobs.
Raoul put his hand on Howie’s back as he knelt beside him. "Boss, Sarah needs you."
"I know," whispered Howie.
"You should have let me take him out."
"No, then I’d have had to find another bodyguard for her and you know how she hates…."
"Like I REALLY did my job," snorted Raoul.
"Stop it, Raoul!" said Howie looking up at the man. "How in the hell were we suppose to know you had to protect her from one of our own? Please, let it go."
"Is that an order?"
Howie wiped his tears as he tried to smile. "Yeah, that’s an order. I need you to take care of Jesse. My daughter is out there and probably very confused as to why Sarah wasn't around and why I pushed her off on Brian."
"How about I take her to McDonald’s for ice cream?"
"Then find a park to play. Anything to distract her and keep her mind off us. I need to take Sarah to be checked out and then we need to talk. Sarah’s gonna be pissed that I didn’t tell her about the argument with Nick."
"No problem. I’ve missed the little princess," smiled Raoul. He started out but stopped. "Howie, about Sarah and her ex…she did drugs?"
"Not willingly…just like her marriage to him."
Raoul shook his head. "Go give her some of that love that makes her glow."
"On my way," smiled Howie.
Howie grabbed a bouquet of flowers that had been left for him and rushed out of the room. His wife was foremost on his mind and he had to be sure she was really okay. As he passed through the docks, he saw David leaving in a cab and he felt a sense of relief that it was over. He just prayed that this was truly the end of it.