Between the Lines (15 page)

Gabe – 25

Ellen’s blonde hair is mussed, as if she
didn’t sleep well last night, or had been making vigorous love. My cock jumps
to attention, remembering that incredible night we enjoyed. Right before
everything went to hell.

She’s
dressed in pajama shorts and a loose t-shirt. Damn she has nice legs and I get
harder, remembering them wrapped around me, their strength as she rode me,
draining ever single drop from me.

Ellen’s
still staring at me, eyes widened, almost afraid, and she’s very pale. Had
nobody figured it out? Surely she realizes people must know the truth, even if
it wasn’t reported. “Coffee?”

She
slowly steps back and leans against the counter. “What gave you this crazy idea
that I had anything to do with my father going to prison?”

I blow
out a sigh. “Don’t you think there’s been enough lies between us?  Scott was in
half the photos with you. What is he, your guard or something?”

“He’s a
lawyer.”

I snort.

“Okay, he
was before he joined the FBI, but that’s it.”

“Ellen, I
dug through all the articles and reports. You’re the only one whose testimony
wasn’t summarized, and done in secret. They played it off because of your age,
but that isn’t way, is it?”

“You
don’t know anything,” she snaps and stomps into the kitchen. “I was a minor and
that’s all.”

 “Minors
testify all the time, in open court, you know that. If you were there to defend
your father, it would have been on the stand. When I realized it was the
prosecution who called you as a witness, everything fell into place. There was
speculation on how the FBI gained the information and documents they did.  It
had to be someone who was close to your father. It’s easy enough to figure
out.”

Her hands
are shaking as she tries to pour water into the coffee maker. I take the carafe
from him and pour so she doesn’t spill anymore on the counter. This really has
upset her. “Nobody else figured it out?”

She
blinks up at me, her brown eyes full of fear. “Of course, why do you think I
live here and not there? Why do you think I changed my name?”

My heart
goes out to her. None of it could have been easy.

“For
sixteen wonderful years I thought my father was this honorable, philanthropic,
wonderful man. He was none of those things,” she says with disgust.

“I’m
sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” That hadn’t been my intention, but she’s
clutching her hands together, shaking and pale. Her breathing is a bit off too.
“Are you okay?”

Her head
jerks up and she pins me with a sharp look. “Of course I’m not
okay
.
There’s a reason only Ellen West exists and I can’t believe I even told you my
real name. That is in the past. Caroline is dead and I want it to stay that
way.”

“Are you
in danger?” Her testimony not only destroyed her father, but led to the arrests
and indictments of several other powerful men, some with links to organized
crime. “Are you in witness protection?” That would make sense.

She
shakes her head, looking down. “No. I wouldn’t go.”

Holy
crap, she could be in danger. “If you’re in danger, why write the articles?”

“You’re
the only one that put it all together and you never would have if I hadn’t told
you who I really am.”

She does
have a point. It’s not like she only reported on those thugs, but on anything
and everything, burying those stories between nursing homes and child care
centers.

“The blog
was too important. It was the only means I had to expose monsters and protect
innocents.”

She pins
me with a look and it hits me. That’s why she is at Baxter. “You think kids are
getting hurt at Baxter?”

Ellen
shrugs. “When places are as secretive about what goes on behind closed doors as
Baxter is, something is up.”

“It’s not
what you think.”

“Then
tell me what it is.”

I’d like
more than anything to, but that’ll only seal my fate and I’d be fired on the
spot. “I can’t.” Though I’m beginning to trust her, it’s not my place to tell
her the truth.

She
snorts and gets up off her stool. “And the reason I’ll continue digging.”

“Suit
yourself, but there aren’t any dark secrets to uncover. It’s a high school for
talented teens who like to remain private.”

Ellen
rolls her eyes and grabs two cups from a shelf. At least she isn’t kicking me
out. “Then tell me why Baxter employed two visual arts teachers last week and
only one this week?”

Shit.

She
glares at me. “Between the lines. Right?”

“He was
injured and can’t return to teaching.” Maybe she’s fishing and hasn’t put it
together.

“Because
he was hospitalized after being beat up in jail.”

I
shouldn’t tell her the truth, but how can I not? I can’t risk her thinking that
anything that girl said was true and then blogging about it and then naming
Jesse as a teacher at Baxter. It could destroy the school.

“It’s not
what you think.”

“Then
tell me what happened.” She sits across from me, her brown eyes linked with
mine.

“Do I
have your promise that it stays between us, and doesn’t go on your blog?”

She gives
me a look that I can only interpret to say,
you’ve got to be kidding me
.
“I’m not making any promises.”

“Then I’m
not telling you anything.”

“You’d
only try to convince me of his innocence anyway.” She gets up and goes to the
cupboard.

“Because
it’s the truth,” I practically yell. I wonder how long I’m going to be pissed
about what happened to Jesse.

Ellen
stills and looks at me. “You aren’t just defending a friend?”

“No. I
know what happened. I wasn’t there, but others were, who I trust completely.”

She walks
back over and sits on the stool. “He really is innocent?”

It’s like
she never considered it to even be a possibility. “Yeah!”

“And you
aren’t just trying to cover it up to save Baxter, to protect them somehow?”
Ellen asks suspiciously.

I can
only shake my head. “If I thought there was an ounce of truth, I’d be first in
line to see him fired and then be there for the sentencing. Guys like that
don’t deserve to be free and out in the world. However, he didn’t do anything
to that girl and it sucks that this happened at all.”

“So, why
did she do it?”

“Jealousy.
It’s the only reason we could come up with that makes any sense, especially
based on past comments the girl made.”

“Why
jealous? What did she say?”

“The girl
had been his babysitter for about a year. She had a crush on him and a few
people picked up on it, but nobody was concerned because he saw her as a great
babysitter for his kid and employee to watch the gallery when he was busy. I
don’t think he had a clue she had any feelings until she blurted out her lies.”

Ellen is
nodding. At least she’s listening and not judging yet.

“Then he
was interested in a woman closer to his age, an adult in her early twenties.
The babysitter didn’t like it and thought if she told this woman that she and
the teacher were involved, the woman would simply go away.”

“How was
he arrested? Did the woman believe her and report him?”

“The girl
made her declaration in front of a police officer, fireman and a Baxter
counselor. Once a sixteen-year-old claims to be in an intimate relationship
with a twenty-five-year-old man, they are under obligation to report it to the
authorities for investigation. They hated having to do it because the guy is a
friend, but accusations like that are never taken lightly.”

“They all
reported it, even the counselor at Baxter?” She seems surprised.

“Yeah.
Each filled out a report.”

Ellen

That is
not what I was expecting to hear. Sure, I anticipated there would be defense of
the guy, but not everything Gabe just told me. Of course, it is easy enough to
check out. Not that names will be in the police reports, but I could get enough
information to check out his story.

Do I have
Baxter all wrong? It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been convinced shady things
were happening when they weren’t. And, once again I have to wonder if that girl
in the hospital was just messed up, or pissed that she was kicked out and
putting the blame everywhere else but on her.

Has this
been a colossal waste of time?

I look up
and meet Gabe’s blue eyes. Well, not all of it. I did meet him, though I’m not
sure where I stand or if anything is left. A whirlwind romance that lasted not
even a week.

Why isn’t
he at Baxter today though? I don’t buy his story that he isn’t needed, but I
doubt I’ll get the truth from him. So, maybe I shouldn’t quite give up my
research into the school just yet.

“What is
the criteria for admission?” I pour the dark liquid into a cup and hand it to
him.

“Talent.”
He takes the cup from me and sits on a stool.

“That’s
it?” I take my cup and settle at the marble counter island, across from him.
“There are hundreds, if not thousands, of talented high school students. I
can’t even figure out how someone would even apply to the school.” There isn’t
one place on their website for admissions.

“They’re
recommended. Kids don’t apply, though I’m sure Baxter does get their share of
letters and email asking about admissions.”

That I
don’t doubt, since they didn’t list it. At first, I assumed it was an oversight
by a shitty web administrator, until I realized it was intentional. “Who
recommends them?” This is a much more comfortable conversation than the one
about my past. It’s as if we’ve crossed a bridge from the ugly to possibly
having respect. I doubt we’ll ever be lovers again. Too much damage and
mistrust. Besides, it’s too dangerous for Gabe, but as long as he is no more
than a source of information and I keep myself from getting personally
involved, he should be safe.

Safe! Is
anyone safe?

What if
the judge grants their motions?

I can’t
go back. I can’t sit in a courtroom and face them again. If the judge order my
appearance, will I even live to make it to the courtroom?

He can’t!
He just can’t. They need to use my earlier testimony. If not, then I’m leaving
the country. Going where nobody can find me. It’s not like I have anything or
anyone keeping me here.

Well,
except Gabe. If there is anything now, it might be friendship, if that. But,
too much has happened and once again, I’m alone.

What if
they find a way to track me to another country? What if
Krestyanov comes looking for me to make sure I can never testify? Is any
place safe?

The judge has to rule against him. He just has to.
I can’t face them. I can’t revisit that
place. My chest and throat tightens and it’s getting dark in my peripheral
vision. I need to stay calm. Don’t borrow trouble. It hasn’t happened yet.

But, what
if someone does decide to come after me?  I deserve it. At least, that is what
my sister said. It was the last thing she ever said to me before she walked
away, never speaking to me again.

A warm
hand closes over mine and my panic shifts, lightening and I glance up. Gabe is
staring at me, his blue eyes full of concern.

“Are you
okay?”

I blink.
“What?”

“You
asked me a question, I answered you, but you didn’t respond. It’s as if you
went somewhere else.”

I swallow
against the tightness in my throat. “Sorry. I’m just tired. That’s all.”

I’ve got
to quit thinking about my father, my family, trials and all the horrible men my
father associated with. This is my chance to learn about Baxter and I need to
concentrate on that.  “How did you say kids get into Baxter? Referrals? No.
Recommendations. Who recommends them?”

“Counselors.”

That
makes no sense. Counselors would want to keep kids at their schools. The more
students a school has, the more funding they get. If counselors kept
recommending students to other places, especially out of district, they
wouldn’t keep their job long.

“How do
all these counselors know about Baxter since their website is pretty shitty?”

Gabe
shrugs. “No idea. I just teach English and writing.”

Bullshit!
He knows a hell of a lot more than he’s
telling me.

“Why
aren’t you in witness protection? You’ve pissed off a lot of dangerous guys.”

I don’t
want to talk about this, but he isn’t going to let it go. “I’ll tell you, if
you tell me about Baxter.”