This is a story of fiction. For you out there who don't own a dictionary, fiction means it's not true. My name isn't Jack. I do however know a Denise, a Marie, and a Sam and none of them are in this story. This is a copyrighted work and may not be published by anyone but me, Zeb_Carter.
Jack O'Hara - One for a Kill
Prologue
Jack O'Hara was born and raised in Orchard Falls. After high school he left for college, the first in his family to do so since they decided to settle there. His parents set up a small trust fund on his birth. Jack took all the required course and those electives he thought might server him in his future. After college he joined the service. When he signed up, he chose the Military Police unit. He wanted to be a cop. For six years he worked his way up the ranks, he never told the Army about going to college so, he was enlisted.
Once he finished his enlistment, he went back to Orchard Falls and looked up his old high school buddy, James Stanton. Jimmy, as he was called by his friends was a Captain in the Orchard falls police department at that time. Jimmy was glad to sponsor Jack to become a police officer. For ten years Jack worked. First as a patrol officer, then as a detective. He met a fellow office, Don Steel. Don was a good cop, but he was in real bad shape after a break up with his wife.
Don's wife had left him without notice. He was served the divorce papers in front of all his pals in Smitty's Bar. As Don read them, he started drinking. He had already started to drink fairly heavy before then, but the divorce papers pushed him over the edge. Jack tried to help him. But, he just kept getting worse. One day Jack heard he had checked into the Orchard Fall Rehabilitation Center. His career in the police department was finished.
Jack, however, was still a rising star. He was offered the job of Police Chief. Jack had thought that his friend Jimmy would have been offered the job way before himself. Jimmy urged him to accept the offer, which he did, then made Jimmy Deputy Chief. At first he really enjoyed the job. He instituted several programs to make things easier on what, were now his men. He was very popular with the rank and file.
It was not to last though. After five years, Jack quit. He recommended that Jimmy take over. Don Steel just happened to be on the city council and rammed the recommendation through. Jimmy was made Chief of Police. Jack retired. He had server enough time, with his regular stint as a cop and the five years of being Chief to get fifty percent of his pension benefits. Some speculated that was all he wanted out of being a cop. And maybe it was, but he had learned a lot, from people like Don Steel and James Stanton to name a couple. He was happy and he could now do as he wished.
Chapter 1
She had hired me to protect her. Well not hired. Asked as a favor. Which I was glad to do. She was younger than me. She was pretty. Very pretty. She was also married. A professional woman. A doctor. My doctor. She was in trouble. From whom, she did not know. Threats had been made. In writing, well via email, same thing. She didn't know who was making the threats. And from the emails, even though I had the header information, neither did I.
So I was watching her. From a distance. Just me and my faithful companion Rudy. Rudy was my dog. Black Rottweiler, Pit-bull mix. He was smart and would do anything I asked of him. Yes, he was that smart. I was sitting in my car, down the street from her house, watching. She was in the house alone. Her husband was out of town. Some conference for whatever he did for a living. I didn't pay that much attention as she told me. We had talked a long time. In the exam room at the clinic where she practiced...
"I don't know what to do," she told me, stopping to think.
"Have you gone to the police?" I asked the stupid question. I had to.
"I did. They said there was nothing they could do without proof. They said the email wasn't proof, just a veiled threat, no real harm...and they had no way of finding out who sent them."
"Yeah, they aren't big on stopping crime now a days, just solving crime."
"Can you help me? I know you know about computers and things..."
"Sure. I'll have a look at that email..."
"I'm frightened..."
"I know. I can see it in your eyes."
She blushed and smiled for a second, looking away from my gaze.
"I can help in other ways too," I told her.
"What?"
"I can keep you safe. I could become your bodyguard..."
"No. I don't think I need something like that..."
"Then I could just watch over you...from a distance," I told her.
"That might be better," she said a little relieved.
I couldn't quite tell why. Why was she frightened to have me protect her? We left it at that. I would follow her home from work and sit on her house for the night. And that's what I was doing. Me and Rudy. It was a cool spring night. No clouds in the sky. A full moon high over head. The street was lit by lights about every fifty yards. Bright, glaring, yellow lights. Rudy sat in the passenger seat. Watching. Listening. Sniffing. Traffic was light on this street. Cars would turn onto the street. Pull up in a driveway and park. Rudy would watch the person or persons getting out of the car until they went inside the house they parked in front of.
There were three other cars parked on the street besides me. I had taken Rudy for a walk and we had checked each car out. Rudy gave them all a clean bill of health. I then walked him around her house. He never even flinched. We went back to our car and set up to watch her all night. The cool air flowing through the open windows of my car was nice after the hot sunny day. It was still early enough in the season that mosquitoes wouldn't be a problem.
Four nine hours, Rudy and I sat there, watching. Then, at six in the morning the lights in the house started to come on. Upstairs lights only. She was getting up. It was time for work. Today she would be working until nine at night. She would be safe with all the other doctors and nurses at the clinic. I would explain that she wasn't to go out for lunch or supper. I could get some sleep, have a nice dinner and be there at the clinic when she left.
Following her to work was easy, she never varied from her route. Once she was inside I left, went home, went to bed and slept like a baby. At eight-forty-five, in the evening, I was outside the clinic. I was parked behind her car. She came out the back door and headed for her car. She waved to me and Rudy as she climbed in and started the car. The drive home was uneventful. Rudy and I sat for hours on end. That second night was again cool and pleasant. We spent our time watching. We watched as the lights went out. Then about eight hours later, they came on again.
The next two nights weren't any different than the first two. Rudy and I sat and watched. The morning of the fifth day, Denise's husband returned home. Rudy growled as the cab drove up and stopped in front of the house. He paid the cabby and grabbed his luggage and went in the house. Lights came on in the living room and the upstairs bedroom. A few minutes later my cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Jack, I don't think you need to stick around. My husband is home and today is my day off. I won't be going out at all. Thank you."
"Of course. We'll talk later."
"That will be fine. Thank you."
She hung up before I could reply. I rubbed my face in my hands. Rudy whined. I looked up and saw Denise's husband come down the driveway and pick up the paper. Why anyone still got the paper in this day and age, was beyond me. When he was inside the house, I started the car and drove us home.
Chapter 2
It was about a week later when Denise called, asking me to come to the clinic. I arrived at the specified time. Her nurse came out and escorted me back to an exam room. A few seconds later, Denise came in. She smiled at me and sat down.
"Jeff, my husband..."
"I know," I said softly.
"Well, he's going out of town for a week. He leaves tomorrow."
"I see."
"I have received," she started, taking a sheaf of papers from her lab coat pocket, "more emails. I haven't the faintest idea what they want from me."
She handed them to me. I took them slipping them in my inside coat pocket.
"I'll look into these. Do you work tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"What time does your husband leave?"
"His plane leaves at six a.m. so he'll be leaving at about four-thirty," she told me.
"And you leave..."
"At seven."
"I'll be there."
"Thank you. I'm so scared."
"What has you husband said about this?" I asked.
"I haven't told him..."
"Really?"
"I don't want to worry him. He has so much on his mind right now, with the new line..."
She shutdown. Looked up into my eyes and wrapped her arms around me. She nuzzled here face against my chest. I was a bit taller than her. I reached up and caressed her hair. She shuddered, then quickly shoved me away. She looked up into my eyes once again and sighed. Turning she opened the door.
"See you tomorrow."
"Sure thing." I followed her out and left the clinic.
