Operation Revenge (26 page)

Chapter 27

In the early hours of the morning, Haley awoke from a bad dream. Instead of trying to go back to sleep she tossed the covers aside and got out of bed. Reaching for the robe at the foot of the bed, she put it on and crossed the room to the door. She stepped out into the hallway. Her eyes were
immediately drawn to Simon's bedroom door and just like that the dream came back to haunt her. Taking a deep breath, she headed downstairs to the kitchen, where she found Daniel. He was sitting at the island, drinking from a bottle of whiskey.

"You won't find any answers at the bottom of that bottle."

He lowered the bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Mind your own damn business," he rasped.

Haley looked into his bloodshot eyes. "I can't do that." She pulled out a chair and sat down beside him. "Your well-being matters to me." She laid her hand on his shoulder. "You don't need that bottle. Why don't you give it to me?"

"Go away," Daniel growled, shrugging her hand off his shoulder.

She sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead. "Fine. I won't bother you anymore. I'll get what I came in here for and then I'll leave you alone to drink yourself to death." She slid off the chair and made a beeline for the refrigerator. Opening the door, she retrieved a carton of milk and took it to the counter. She grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it with milk.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

"I had a bad dream." Haley placed the cup of milk in the microwave, set the time, and pressed start.

"What was it about?" Daniel asked intrigued.

She turned around and leaned back against the counter. "Chad killed Simon." Images of the dream flitted through her mind and she closed her eyes. "It always starts the same way. Simon and I are strolling arm in arm through the park. It's a beautiful day. We're laughing and having a nice time. Then suddenly I hear what sounds like a firecracker going off. I glance at Simon and he has this look of horror on his face. Before I can ask him what's wrong he falls. I try to catch him, but he's too heavy. We sink to the ground and that's when I see the blood stain on his shirt."

"You don't have-"

"As I cradle him in my arms I'm yelling for someone to help us. That's when Chad shows up. He has the gun in his hand. He grins at me and tells me that no one is going to help us and that Simon's death is all my fault. Then he vanishes and I'm alone with Simon again. I look down at him and he's looking at me. He tells me that he loves me and then he dies. I always wake up after he dies. I wish-" The microwave beeped, signaling that it was done. She turned around and removed the cup from the microwave.

"How often do you have this dream?" Daniel inquired.

"At least once a week." Haley took a sip of the milk. "No one knows about it. It's not something I like to share. I would be happy if the dreams would stop, but it doesn't seem as though that's going to happen any time soon."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, "but you know that Simon will be fine."

"Will he?" she said, staring down into the cup. "Some times I'm not so sure."

There was a few moments of awkward silence. Finally Daniel spoke. "Lindsay told you what happened, didn't she?"

"She did, but only because I asked her to tell me." Haley joined him at the island again and sat down. "I'm sorry for what happened." She reached out and snatched the bottle from his hand. He didn't try to take it away from her. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't help what happened to Lindsay. You have to find a way to let go of the guilt and move on with your life."

"I know I do, but I've carried the guilt with me for so long that it's become a part of me." He passed a hand across his face. "She wants us to get back together."

"Do you still love her?"

"I never stopped," Daniel croaked. "I told her that I needed some time to think about things. She said she would wait for me."

Haley squeezed his arm gently. "If it was meant to be you two will find a way."

"I hope so." He stared off into space, deep in thought. "I hope so."

. . . .

Haley was making the bed, later that morning, when the phone rang. She moved around the bed to the nightstand, bent down, and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Don't hang up," Chad said. "You do and you will regret it."

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"I want you to meet me in the food court at the mall," he replied. "We need to talk. Ten o'clock and come alone."

"And if I choose not to meet you?"

"Don't test me!" Chad snarled. "The outcome would not be pleasant."

"I don't take kindly to-"

"Ten o'clock, Haley. If you know what's good for you you won't keep me waiting."

The line went dead. Seething, Haley slammed the receiver back in the base. Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," she called out.

The door opened and Simon entered the bedroom. "Good morning, sweetheart." He closed the door behind him.

Her anger melted at the sight of him and she smiled. "Good morning. Is there something that I can do for you?"

"As a matter of fact there is." In three short strides, he reached her. "You can kiss me."

"My favorite thing to do." Haley kissed him, lingering for several seconds. When she ended the kiss, she didn't move away, but instead wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. His scent and the warmth of his body enveloped her and calmed her frazzled nerves. She rubbed her cheek against his shirt and sighed softly. "I'm glad you came in here. I needed a hug."

"Are you all right?" Simon asked, running his hand over her back.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "I feel fine."

"I'm glad," he mumbled. "Did you answer the phone?"

Haley's breath caught in her throat. She willed herself to stay calm. "Yes."

"Who was it?"

She hesitated. A part of her was tempted to lie and tell him it had been a wrong number, but she couldn't do that. She had promised to be open and honest with him and that was what she was going to do. "It was Chad." She felt him stiffen up. "Relax, honey." She tried to soothe him with the touch of her hand. "It's all right. He just wants me to meet him at the mall to talk."

"I hope you told him to go to hell."

"Not exactly," Haley said cautiously.

Simon released her and stepped back. "What did you tell him?"

Briefly, she told him about the conversation she had with Chad. "So you see," she said once she was done. "He didn't give me much of a choice."

"You're not going."

"Simon, I have to go." Haley looked into his eyes. "He just wants to talk. We will be in a public place surrounded by people. I'll be perfectly safe."

"I'm going with you," he stated, his eyes challenging her to argue with him.

"I have to go alone," she reminded him.

"That's not going to happen," he growled.

"Damn it, Simon!" Haley turned her back to him. "You're not getting it. I have to go alone. He specifically said for me to come alone."

"I'm not the only one who's not getting it, sweetheart," he sneered. "You're not getting the fact that by going alone you're putting yourself in danger."

"For the last time, we're meeting in a public place. Nothing is going to happen." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and turned back around. "Look, I don't like this any more than you do, but he made it clear that if I don't do what he says something will happen. I'm not about to take his warning lightly. I'm sorry, but I've made up my mind and nothing you say is going to change it."

"I see," Simon said coolly, a muscle twitching in his jaw. "I'm just wasting my breath and my time. It's obvious you don't give a damn what I think or how I feel."

"Oh, love, that's not true." Haley raised her hand and stroked his cheek. "I care what you think and how you feel."

"So you say."

"Please, don't be angry with me," she said softly.

Without uttering a word, Simon pivoted on his heels and marched across the room. He jerked open the door and left, slamming it shut behind him.

Her stomach in knots and on the verge of breaking down, Haley made her way to the bed on shaky legs and sank down onto it. "Damn you, Chad," she cursed, her eyes wet with tears. "Damn you to hell."

Chapter 28

Haley made it to the food court in the mall with five minutes to spare. She chose a table that was near the fountain and sat down to wait. Her eyes scanned her surroundings and came to rest on a man, who was sitting two tables across from her. He was nursing a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper. There was something vaguely familiar about him. Before she could remember where it was that she saw him, Chad walked up, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

"Thank you for meeting me," he said.

"If it was up to me I wouldn't be here," she said coldly. "You have ten minutes."

"Is that so?" Chad cocked his head slightly. "You look like hell, love. Being Simon's girlfriend doesn't agree with you. You looked much better when you were with me."

"What do you want?" she hissed.

He smirked. "I want to see you and Simon suffer for what you have done to me."

Anger sprang to life inside of Haley. She gritted her teeth and gripped the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. "We haven't done anything to you."

"The hell you haven't." Chad glared at her. "The minute you dumped me you ran into his arms. What's worse is Simon knew you were off limits because you were my ex. Do you think he cared about that? Do you think he cared about our friendship? No. All he cared about was getting with you. You two stabbed me in the back and now you have to suffer the consequences. You had your fun. It's my turn now."

The look in his eyes made her blood run cold. She swallowed hard and tried not to let him see how much his words bothered her. "I can see the love you felt for me is gone."

"You killed any feelings of love I had for you when you moved in with him." Chad leaned forward and spoke softly. "I loved you. I would have given you everything your heart desired. You-"

"I'm sick to death of you saying that you loved me," Haley interrupted, her eyes filled with loathing. "You never loved me. The only person you love is yourself. You're selfish and manipulative and-"

"Don't say another word," he growled. "I've been thinking of a way to make you and Simon suffer and it came to me. What better way to make you two miserable then for you to be apart. Therefore, this is what you're going to do. You're going to break up with him and-"