DAWSON’S TRAVELS
Chapter Five
Jack and Gabrielle entered Jack’s
room, both laughing at a story that Jack had told her about his time on the
ship to Europe.
"So, they all thought that
it was rats nibbling on the bread, and it turned out to be a mere boy?"
Gabrielle laughed.
"Yes. It was quite amusing,
the looks on their faces. The boy, of course, had no friends or family, so I
shared my cabin with him."
"That was very kind of
you." Gabrielle nodded. "Reminds me of myself. Here I am, intruding
on your space because no rooms are available."
"It’s no problem, Gabrielle.
There’s plenty of room." Jack laughed. "Just sleep well and we’ll
think about what your next move will be."
"Okay. Night, Jack."
"Night, Gabri."
"Gabrielle."
"Okay, Gabri." Jack
smiled, knowing that the short version of her name irritated her.
"Fine, John!"
*****
Over the next two weeks,
Gabrielle and Jack became good friends and were practically inseparable. They
told each other little secrets, and big secrets, as well. Jack shared how he
had once stolen a loaf of bread when he had first come to Paris, penniless and
without a home. Gabrielle, too, revealed her biggest secret, one that amazed
and amused Jack because she got around so well. She had only one leg. She had
been born that way, she said, and told him not to treat her any differently
than he had when he had thought she had two.
It was two weeks before Gabrielle
got a visit from the feared Jones, looking for his woman and his money.
Jack was sitting in his chair,
sketching the nude Gabrielle laid out on his bed. His main focus, of course,
was her hands. He couldn’t get enough of drawing them. They were the loveliest
hands he had ever seen, so naturally expressive. Jack finished up when there
was a loud banging on the door.
"Come on out, Gabrielle! I
know you’re in there!" a rough, booming voice yelled.
"Oh, no." Gabrielle got
up and slipped on her robe.
"Who’s that?" Jack
asked, staring at the door, not sure if he should open it or not.
"Jones. My…keeper, you could
say. He’s found me." Jack noticed the look of fear that appeared in her
eyes and became determined. There was no way in hell he was going to allow this
Jones person to harm Gabrielle in any way. She was his friend, and deserved
some protection.
"Don’t worry. Everything
will be all right," Jack reassured his friend. "Just let me open the
door and handle it."
She only nodded, hoping that she
hadn’t gotten Jack in too much trouble.
"Where is she?" A tall,
burly man pushed past Jack once he’d opened the door. "I know she’s here!
The clerk downstairs said she was!"
"Who are you looking
for?" Jack calmly asked.
"Gabrielle! My girl! Where
is she? You’d better not lie to me!" The man pulled out a revolver and
pointed it at Jack’s chest. "Now, where is she?"
"I’m here, Jones. Don’t hurt
Jack. He was just being kind to a stranger. That’s all." Gabrielle stepped
out of the closet she had chosen to hide in. She hadn’t been going to come out,
but once she had seen Jones pull that revolver on Jack, she hadn’t been able to
remain hidden. Jones was crazy. He would kill Jack just because he couldn’t
have her.
"Gabrielle, what are you
doing?" Jack asked, his eyes wide with fear for her. There was no telling
what Jones would do to her.
"I can’t let him hurt you,
Jack. If he wants me, here I am." Gabrielle shrugged, not taking her eyes
off her pimp.
"Come on, wench!" Jones
grabbed her arms and began pulling her towards the door.
"No, Jones, no! I’m not
going back with you!" Gabrielle protested, trying to pull away from him.
"What was that, wench? Did
you dare talk back to me? Talk back to this!" Jones took his fist and
punched her so hard that she flew back against the wall. "Now, you’re
coming with me, and there’s going to be no argument."
Jack immediately came to Gabrielle’s
defense. He grabbed Jones’ revolver hand and forced him to drop the gun, which
skittered across the floor right next to Gabrielle, who was holding her face.
"You little punk! I’ll teach
you to get between me and my property!" Jones grabbed Jack by the throat
and forced him against the wall. Jack struggled to loosen the man’s tight hold,
but it was no use. He soon found himself beginning to lose consciousness, his
lungs beginning to burn from the lack of oxygen.
"No!" Gabrielle
screamed, and looked for a weapon. She couldn’t let Jones hurt Jack. The kind
artist had just been trying to help her. He didn’t deserve to die because of
his kindness to a prostitute he knew nothing about. She spotted the gun and
immediately grabbed it. "Jones, let him go!" Gabrielle shakily
pointed the gun at her ex-pimp.
"Shut up, whore!" Jones
yelled, tightening his hold on Jack’s throat.
Gabrielle and Jack both jumped in
shock as the gun went off when Gabrielle pulled the trigger. Jones’ eyes became
full of shock and disbelief. A little bit of respect also shone in his eyes as
the life poured out of them. Five seconds later, he was in a dead heap on the
floor. Jack, too, was also on the floor, catching his breath.
"Did I do that?"
Gabrielle asked in shock.
"You sure did." Jack
nodded and checked for a pulse on the fallen man. "He’s dead. You killed
him."
Gabrielle’s eyes widened in
horror. "Oh, no! Jack, I didn’t mean to! Honest! I just wanted to hurt him
so he’d stop hurting you!" Gabrielle exclaimed in terror. "I’m not a
murderer!"
Jack went to her and pulled her
into a hug. "Shh, Gabrielle. I know you’re not a murderer. It was
self-defense. The police will understand."
"Police? Oh, Jack, no! I
can’t go to the police! They’ll throw me in jail and throw away the key!"
"Gabrielle, we have no
choice. If we go to the police now and tell them what happened, they’ll believe
us. But if we don’t, and they find the body and trace it back here…they won’t
believe a thing we say. Going to the police now is the right thing to do."
Gabrielle sobbed and looked down
at the ground. Jack was right, but she was scared. Not only of the police, but
of Jones’ friends and other employees. The girls would definitely be out for
her blood. Jones was their means of survival, and she’d taken that away from
them.
"Jack…how about Jones’
friends and employees? They’re going to be out for our blood for this."
Gabrielle sniffed.
"We’ll just have to get you
on a train out of Paris, then. Now, won’t we? I have a little saved. I can get
you a ticket out of that."
"Okay. Fine. We’ll go to the
cops." Gabrielle sighed in defeat.
Five Days Later
Jack and Gabrielle stood facing
each other at the train station, knowing that this might be the last time they
would ever see each other. They had gone to the police, and the police had
believed their story and allowed them to go free. Gabrielle had been going to
try to stay in Paris with Jack, but had changed her mind when Jack had to once
again rescue her from one of her ex-coworkers trying to strangle her. So, Jack
had made her reservations to go to Cannes, far away from Paris.
"I’m going to miss you,
Jack. You’ve been my knight in shining armor." Gabrielle hugged her friend
tightly. "I don’t know how I’m ever going to thank you for all you’ve done
for me."
"Take care of yourself.
Okay? Make each day count, and be careful."
"I will. Good-bye,
Jack." Gabrielle pulled away from the hug, tears streaming from her eyes
as the horn blared for its last boarding call.
"Good-bye, Gabri." Jack
smiled teasingly, just to get a playful punch in the arm.
"See ya, John."
Gabrielle waved, heading for the train.
Jack stood, watched the train
disappear into the distance, and sighed sadly. He was going to miss her. She
had been his best friend here in Paris, but he knew that this was for the best.
Maybe someday they’d meet again. Sighing, he turned and headed back to the
artist hostel.