Cascade (11 page)

Heather laughed. Joining her laughter, he
continued through the Castle gate and to Katy’s birthday
party.

~~~~~~~~

Monday night — 9:27 P.M.

Turning down the hallway to her condo, she saw
Aden waiting by her door. She should have expected him.

“
Shouldn’t you be with your kids?”
Sandy asked.

“
My kids are at home, Sandra.
After an evening at the Emergency Room, I took them home. They’re
exhausted.”

“
They shouldn’t be alone,” Sandy
said. “Did you come for your stuff?”

“
My
stuff
??”

Sandy scowled at his raised voice. Opening the
door, she pointed him inside.

“
Why did you leave the kids alone
tonight?” Sandy asked. “Tonight of all nights!”

“
They aren’t alone, Sandy,” Aden
said. “Blane and Heather came over after Katy’s party. Blane is
giving Nash some acupuncture.”

“
Oh,” Sandy said. “I put your
stuff by the door.”

“
I see that,” Aden said. “What’s
going on, Sandy?”

“
Nash is in real trouble, Aden. He
needs all of your time. Noelle too,” Sandy said. “I take up your
nights and weekends. The kids need more of you.”

“
It seems to me like you need me
right now,” Aden said. “I thought we were past all of
this.”

“
All of what?”

“
The push-pull,” Aden said. “You
love me. I love you. Nash and Noelle love you. It’s that
simple.”

“
It’s
not
that simple,” Sandy said. “Your kids
need your help.”

“
They need our help, Sandy. Nash came to YOU when he was in
trouble, not me. He wanted
your
help.”

“
You know what he got in a fight
about? They beat him up because of me.”

“
Sandy, no.” Aden grabbed her
shoulders to force her to look at him. “No. They’re bullies. They
fought with Nash because he’s not afraid of them. You were just an
excuse.”

“
We should cool it, Aden, really.
If I’m not around, those boys won’t bother Nash
anymore.”

“
Fine. You won’t pick him up at
school anymore,” Aden said. “But you and me?”

Sandy shook her head. Aden sighed.

“
Don’t give up, Sandy. Because of
some bullies? Don’t give up.”

Sandy shook her head.

“
If we cool off the evenings, what
about our workouts?” Aden asked. “Why don’t we keep working out
every morning? I enjoy that.”

“
I like working out with you. I
always gain so much weight this time of year.”

“
In all the right places.” Aden
slipped his arms around her. “We’ll give it a month?”

Sandy nodded.

“
What about New Year’s? Will you
spend New Year’s with me?”

Sandy’s face was a wash of worry.

“
Jake and Jill are having a party
at the Castle,” Aden said. “We’ll stay with them. Val’s inviting
her Hollywood friends.”

“
Jill’s been talking about it for
weeks,” Sandy gave a slight nod. Her eyes sparked with hope. “I’ll
go… with you.”

“
Will you still marry
me?”

“
Aden! No!” Sandy exclaimed. “So
that the bullies can beat up your precious son? No!”

“
Ok, ok, ok…” Aden pulled her to
him and stroked her back. “We’ll workout together for the next
couple weeks and see what happens.”

“
What will Nash do this week?”
Sandy asked.

“
He’ll have to come to work with
me,” Aden said. “He’s got to do his school work. There’s a meeting
set on Wednesday to resolve the issues between the kids. We’ll see
how that goes.”

“
Is he injured?”

“
No, MJ was right,” Aden said.
“They x-rayed him head to toe. He’s fine. The stitches were
perfect. He’ll have some bruises for a while, but he’ll be all
right.”

When Sandy sniffled, Aden leaned back to look
at her face.

“
This was really hard for you,”
Aden said. “Why do it? I love you. I’ll miss you every night, every
moment I don’t get to see you.”

“
It’s for the best,” Sandy said.
“I’ll miss you too.”

Aden pulled her close again.

“
You should go,” Sandy
said.

“
Sandy…”

“
Please, it’s easier if you go.”
Tears dropped from her eyes. “Please.”

“
I’ll see you tomorrow at the
gym?”

Sandy nodded.

“
6:30?”

Sandy nodded. Aden’s eyes caressed her face.
He gave her a curt nod. Then, he walked out her door.

CHAPTER
SIXTY-TWO

The prick

Two days later

Wednesday morning — 7:45
A.M.

Sweaty from their workout, Aden and Sandy
walked hand in hand toward his car. Yesterday, their heat and the
privacy of his sedan’s tinted windows led to a fast, hot
indiscriminate romp outside Sandy’s condo.

“
But not today,” Sandy
said.

“
Why not?” Aden said.

“
I’m bruised from the steering
wheel.” Sandy laughed.

“
We could always…”

Aden stopped talking. Sandy’s Godfather Seth
O’Malley was leaning against the trunk of his car.

“
Detective O’Malley.” Aden shook
the Denver Police Detective’s hand.

“
Sorry to interrupt,” Seth said.
“I need to speak with Sandy. I waited outside her condo yesterday
morning…”

Blushing, Sandy laughed.

“
I figured I’d meet you here
before anything started,” Seth said. “You have a home with a
private bedroom…”

“
Sir,” Aden said. “We…”

“
It’s all right, son,” Seth said.
“It happens. I’ll take her home.”

Aden gave Sandy a chaste kiss on the cheek
then got in his Saab sedan.

“
I’ll call you later,” Aden said.
“I have Nash’s conference today.”

Sandy nodded. Standing to the side, she
watched Aden drive out of the parking lot. They walked to Seth’s
dark blue Chevy sedan.

“
How about a donut?” Seth said.
“LaMar’s is close.”

“
Seth O’Malley! Those donuts will
kill you! You know what the doctor said about your insulin level
and cholesterol.”

“
So you want a donut?” Seth
shrugged.

“
Sure,” Sandy laughed.

They drove to LaMar’s in silence. Seth was not
one for idle chit chat. Still happy from her hour with Aden, Sandy
enjoyed her post-workout glow in peace and quiet. Seth pulled into
the parking lot and got out to open Sandy’s door.

“
You’ve been working a lot,” Seth
said.

“
Always this time of year,” Sandy
said. “I twiddle my thumbs every January.”

Out of things to say, Seth nodded. He held the
door for her. She ordered a cup of coffee and a cinnamon cake
donut. The counter girl knew Seth by name. She prepared what
appeared to be Seth’s usual order – two glazed chocolate donuts and
a chocolate glazed twist. They had their usual argument over
payment. Not wanting to spoil her good mood, Sandy let him pay. She
picked up their coffee and was sitting at a table when he gestured
that they should leave.

“
I need to speak with you,” Seth
said. “I don’t want to do it there.”

“
What’s going on?” Sandy
asked.

Leaning into her, he said into her ear, “It’s
about your father.”

Sandy’s face flushed. She nodded. Her great
mood evaporated with the mere mention of her biological father.
While Seth waved to the women behind the counter, Sandy withdrew in
her mind. He held the door for her then opened her car
door.

Dazed, Sandy watched the sidewalks fly past
her window. Sixth Avenue became Santa Fe. Tiny art studios and
authentic Mexican food restaurants zoomed by. Santa Fe became Ninth
Avenue. Sagging Victorians turned to well loved homes. He stopped
the car on the bend across from the First Mennonite Church next to
Sunken Garden Park. Seeing the trees, Sandy’s mind began to return
to the car. He left the car idling to keep them warm.

“
Donut?” Seth offered Sandy his
donuts. She shook her head.

“
It looks cold today.” Sandy broke
her silence with the obvious. “Aden was going to teach me how to
ski this winter.”

“
Was?”

“
We’re on a cool off period,”
Sandy said.

Seth laughed.

“
We are!”

Seth laughed harder. Sandy laughed. Taking a
drink of his coffee, Seth’s mood changed. Instinctively, Sandy
pulled her coat closer.

“
There’s an international task
force looking into… you know…” Seth blew out a breath. “I guess
there was a situation with the UN peacekeepers. This group has been
tasked to look at anyone who’s selling…”

“
Child pornography.”

“
Right,” Seth said. “Your
Dad…”

“
Don’t call him that,” Sandy said.
“I only had one Dad. He’s dead.”

“
Ok, ok, sorry Sandy,” Seth said.
“I’ve spent a lot of time trying to think about how to talk to you
about this. I’m not good at talking. Especially when I’m pissed
off. Why do you think I have so many ex-wives?”

“
Ok, Seth,” Sandy said. “This
international task force. What do they have to do with the
prick?”

“
He came up on their radar. He’s
got a website with videos for download or play. He has a supplier
in China. The videos are shipped from China through Canada,” Seth
said. “He’s got distributors throughout the world.”

Sandy nodded.

“
I made some quiet inquiries when
Jill brought me the cash he’s been giving you,” Seth said. “You
knew she did that right?”

Sandy nodded.

“
And… well… I promised your Dad
that I would keep you out of the news and out of harms way. I swore
to him on his death bed. But… I can’t keep you from
this.”

“
Why?”

“
This international group… they
contacted Vice about the prick. Vice has been following him for a
few months. They think he’s trying to recruit new girls. He’s
spending a lot of time around schools. They haven’t seen anything
they can pick him up for and the international group wants the
whole chain, not just your… I mean the prick.”

“
The videos on the website… Those
are…”

“
Yes,” Seth said. “They are of
you. I couldn’t look. My buddy in Vice said they go back to when
you were…”

“
A toddler,” Sandy said. “Had to
work off the child support.”

Not speaking, they sat with the discomfort of
their own thoughts. They drank their coffee.

“
Aden’s son was beaten up on
Monday. Some kid said he has a video of me,” Sandy said. “Sounds
like he probably does.”

“
He probably does,” Seth said.
“Sick fucker. Do you know his name? It’s illegal to have that crap
on your computer or in your home. We’ll bust him…”

Sandy began to visibly shake. Seth pulled her
to him. He held her until her shaking slowed.

“
You have to tell Aden,” Seth
said. “Sandra, you need to tell him.”

Sandy shook her head with such violence that
the car rocked.

“
I’ll tell him if you don’t,” Seth
said. “That man loves you. He’s got to know. He can help you
because…”

“
What?”

“
There’s going to be a trial.
Unless the prick gets more girls, they plan to move on him after
the first of the year. They’ll need you to testify. Grand jury
first, then…”

“
Why would I do that? Destroy my
whole life? I should take the money and move to Paris or Rome
or…”

“
Sandra, he’s recruiting other
children,” Seth said. “It’s only a matter of time. You can stop him
and put him away once and for all.”

“
What about Mom? This will kill
her.”

“
Your mother will have to live
with what she’s done,” Seth said. “She’s stronger than you
think.”

Each caught in their own worries, they fell
silent again.

“
I need to get to work,” Sandy
said. “I have a client in forty minutes.”

Seth put the car into gear and drove toward
her home. Pulling to the curb, he stopped the car.

“
I’d do anything for you. You know
that,” Seth said.

“
I know,” Sandy said. “Thanks,
Seth. I appreciate you giving me the heads up. I’m just not sure
what to do.”

“
You need to tell Aden,” Seth
said. “Tell him by Friday or I’ll tell him Saturday
morning.”

“
What?” Sandy said. “That’s too
soon.”