SNAP (The SNAP Trilogy Book 1) (13 page)

"You can't hide behind that wall with me. I know you far too well for that shit. We grew up together, remember? I'll call Brad in the morning and have him ready to go Monday morning. You have shit that needs taken care of around here."

"There's nothing Joseph can't handle in my stead," I say, aggravation growing by the second. "I'm going back on Monday. I've put a plan into place."

"What kind of plan?" Dale asks sounding just as perturbed as me.

"I'll fill you in if it works," I say rising from my chair.

"Fuck that. You'll fill me in now. You're not going rouge on this one. There's too much at stake here. Sit your ass down and tell me everything." Dale's yelling by the time he finishes.

I sit back down and take a deep breath looking at Hazel's picture. He follows my gaze and begins shaking his head, muttering under his breath. "She knows who I am. I saved her from Phil. I'm playing the hero card."

"You are being stupid. You're getting involved and you're going to bring this entire operation down on our heads and for what? Some pussy?" Dale leans back in his chair rubbing hands over his face and into his slicked back blond hair.

"She knows more than she realizes. We want Phil, Phil wants her. By getting close to her, we get closer to him. It's the only way we are going to take him down." I try to reason with Dale, but it's only making the situation worse.

"It's not just Phil you want, though. You want her too. Someone's going to get hurt in this mess, Cash, and it's going to be her. Phil starts doing research on you, he's going to figure out who you are and all hell's going to break loose. Let's just put a bullet in his head and call it a day."

I look at him as if he's lost his mind. "We can't do that and you know it. He comes from a prominent family who will stop at nothing if he's killed. We don't know who he's working with and if this will continue were he to disappear. And if we back off Hazel he's going to hurt her. The dude is fucking nuts. He's smart, but he's slipping up, letting his emotions get the better of him."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Dale says quietly.

"She likes me, Dale. Let me try this angle and see if it works. I'll get as much work done as I can this weekend here and head back Monday. It's her day off and we're supposed to go out," I tell him and watch for his reaction.

"So you've already went ahead with this plan before talking to us about it? Go figure. You have two weeks. That's it. Gain her trust, figure out what she knows. We'll take Phil down and then keep as far away from that town as we can for a while. Okay, Casanova?" he says sarcastically.

I laugh at him and his tired face cracks a smile. I gather my stuff and slip my card back into my phone. "I'm going to sleep on the pull out sofa in my office. Come get me if Joseph figures anything out."

Dale nods and goes into the lab as I head toward the exit that leads to my office. I drop my bag inside my personal bathroom and strip down to my boxers. I lower the shades and lock the door all while thinking about what Dale said about Gavin and trying to piece everything together in my mind. I pull the bed from the sofa and grab my pillow from the closet. Laying down, I stare at the ceiling attempting to slow my brain down so I can get some sleep. My phone beeps from my desk and I reach for it wondering if Joseph found what he was looking for. A smile crosses my face at the text on my screen.

Hazel: You're Welcome.

Hazel

The weekend seemed to go by fast and slow at the same time. According to sales we were just as busy, but it seemed to go much smoother with Cady waiting tables. Roger actually called me this morning while going over the numbers and said we pulled in more than last weekend. He was excited, but still cautious, letting me know that if anything Cady will remain on board with us. Now I have to prove to him that hiring the other two people are worth it. Out of the interviews done on Thursday, I selected one person who starts today. Jimmy will be training him this week. He has previous kitchen experience, so hopefully he learns fast and I can get him on the schedule to give those guys a break. My only concern is that Jimmy is clean while he's training. He was agitated all weekend and asked to take more breaks than he usually took. I don't want the new guy thinking it's okay to be high at work. I'm trying to give Jimmy the benefit of the doubt, but I know I'll have to sit down with him and give him a warning. Telling Roger at this point is out of the question. If he knew, he'd fire Jimmy immediately. People deserve a warning and a chance to get their shit together.

I expected to see Cash saunter in and sit at the bar while I worked, but he didn't show his face all weekend. When Cady and I left Friday night, I had a voicemail on my phone. When I listened to it, I realized I hadn't hung up when I called my phone from his. I could hear myself faintly saying goodbye to him in the background before his sexy, humor filled voice came through making my skin cover in goose flesh. "Thank you," was all he said before the message ended. I listened to it several times before sending him a text. I haven't heard from him since, and I wonder if he's left town and will be back.

Looking around my apartment that's in disarray, I wonder if Cash will call today to plan a date and if he will want to pick me up here. My lip rises in disgust as I stare at the dirty kitchen, my floor that hasn't been vacuumed in a month and the piles of mail and crap laying where it was tossed. It's early yet, so if I get up and start working now, I could have this place clean in, oh, a year maybe. I growl to myself as I get up off the couch and walk to the kitchen. Opening the fridge to grab a soda, a pungent odor hits my nose that almost knocks me out. The door slam shuts as I lean against it clamping my hand over my nose and mouth trying to keep the vomit from rising up my throat. I've allowed this place to become a dump while hiding behind my locked door and wallowing in self-contempt.

I spend a little bit tidying up, doing dishes, and cleaning the floors. Hopefully whatever was in the fridge rotting is now out in the garbage. Lighting a cigarette, I check my phone to see two hours have passed and I can't even tell I put a dent in this place. I kick my feet up and turn on the TV to pass the time.

As I flip through the channels, something catches my attention on the news and I quickly go back. A picture of a white pill is displayed on the screen with the words 'New Drug On The Streets' across it. I pull my feet from the table and lean forward resting my elbows on my knees listening intently.

"A Swanson man died last night due to an apparent overdose. The hospital nor police would release any information on the man, but the Police Chief had this to say at a press conference this morning."

An older man in a police uniform comes on the screen. Standing at the podium, he looks tired, confused, and angry. "We have no details as of yet where this drug originated. It has just recently been brought to our attention. Three others have been brought to the hospital after becoming sick from it. We are working hard right now to discover what it is and who is selling it so we can put a stop to it. Thank you."

The anchorman comes back on screen and moves onto the next segment. I sit back wondering what drug they could be talking about, but I know in my gut exactly what it is. Dustin snapping the white pill on the table flashes in my mind. Living in a small town, there's not much to do except party. With drugs traveling through here daily from the coast, we are one of the first areas to learn of new ones. This one hasn't been around long, and if this report was about Snap, it won't be around much longer, especially if it's killing people right out of the gate.

My door begins to rattle making me flinch. I stare at it as I watch the doorknob attempt to turn. Sneaking over to it, I peer through the peephole to see who it is just as a fist pounds on the door making me jump. I cover my mouth trying to hold back a scream.

"Hazel, I know you're in there. Open the door."

I peek through the peephole again and see Phil dead staring the door. His lip pulls back in a sneer and then he punches the door. The loud boom makes my heart titter faster in my chest and my breaths turn into pants. The doorknob shakes as he tries to turn it and he begins banging on the door again.

"Open the goddamn door! Do not make me break it down," he growls from the other side.

I have never been so afraid in my life. The night he grabbed me at the bar wasn't this scary. Fear causes my feet to shuffle backwards as I look around the apartment. My phone catches my eye and I glance back at the door before snagging it from the couch and running to the hallway.

"I can see you through your curtains, Hazel," he yells through the door.

I lean against the wall, well out of sight of any window, wondering if my neighbors are watching and if they will call the cops. They can't get involved. Not now that I know he's selling drugs. His father is an advocate for a drug free community. I could see him blaming all this on me. Mr. Jenkins never liked me. The way his eyes leered at me like I was nothing but a piece of white trash after his son's money never went unnoticed.

"Open the door, baby," he says a little more quietly. "I'm sorry. Just let me talk to you."

Phil has lost his ever lovin' mind if he thinks that shit is going to work on me. Someone must be watching for him to change his tune. I silently pray that whoever saw him goes about their merry way.

My phone rings and I hurry to silence it looking at the screen.

"Hello." My voice comes out as a shaky whisper.

"Hazel?" Cash asks concerned.

"I can't really talk right now." The words hitch in my throat as Phil pounds on the door again screaming once more.

"Where are you?" Cash's once soft voice turns hard and icy.

"I'm at home," I whisper as something hard crashes against my door making me scream.

"I hear you, you fucking whore!"

I lean around the corner and can see his shadow walking by the window.

"Where is home, Hazel?" Cash yells into the phone.

"Oh God, he's gonna try to come through the window," I whimper as tears start to cloud my vision.

"Hazel, focus. Where is home?" Cash yells again.

I rattle my address off to him as I frantically search for Phil from my hiding spot. I can hear one of the windows in my bedroom begin to rattle.

"Go into a room with no windows and lock the door. Be there in a minute, I'm right down the street."

There's a click on the line and I swear my heart stops.

"Cash?" I look at my phone to see he ended the call.

I go into the bathroom and close the door locking it. Leaving the lights off, I sit in the darkness surrounded by an eerie silence. A million scenarios of Phil breaking down this door to get to me run through my mind. My blood runs cold imagining what is happening outside the bathroom. After a couple of minutes, I put my ear to the door, but all I hear is the muffled sounds of the TV. With a shaky hand, I turn the knob and pull it ajar listening before stepping out.

"Hazel?" Cash knocks on the front door gently.

"Cash?" I yell from the hallway.

"It's me." His voice is reassuring, but twinged with anger.

I run to the door and undo the deadbolt and chain. Flinging it open, I notice the dents in my door and the damage done to the frame. Tears fill my eyes as I think what Phil would've done to me had he gotten in here. My hands cover my face as I take a deep, shuttering breath.

Cash grabs my shoulders pushing me back into my apartment and closes the door locking it. His arms wrap around my shoulders making me flinch at first before burying my face against his chest. I can't look at him right now.

"Shhh," he whispers as he rubs my back. "He's gone."

"Did you see him?" I choke out, gripping is shirt in my fists.

Cash pulls me tighter against him. "He ran to the alley as I pulled up. When I made it around the side of your apartment he was already gone."

My head moves in a slight nod, rubbing against chest. We stand there for a moment as my tears stop and my breathing returns to normal. He pulls back and his hands cup my shoulders as he looks down at me. Sympathy and compassion rests in the depths of his eyes. It's comforting, but I can't stand to have him stare upon me like that.

Turning my head, I walk to the kitchen and grab a napkin from the table. I clean my face up and stand there for a minute keeping my back to Cash trying to let everything register in my mind. Phil beating on my door screaming obscenities, trying to break into my apartment, Cash calling at the right moment. Cash saving me once again. He must think my life is a total mess. I look down at my raggedy stained up pajamas and roll my eyes. Of course he had to see me like this. A sigh escapes me knowing that no one wants to get tangled up with someone who has a psycho stalker and looks like a homeless woman most of the time.

My breath sucks in as the truth finally hits me. Phil is stalking me. My hands curl around the chair back in front of me as I wonder how many times he's been near and not tried to attack me. Has he hidden from view and just watched me? It would make sense with how many times we bumped into each other at places he never goes. I've always made sure to patron businesses I knew he never went to so I wouldn't have a chance meeting. What does he want with me?

"Hey," Cash whispers from behind, startling me. "Come sit down and relax."

He grips my shoulders ushering me to the couch. I sit down and he sits next to me. Grabbing my cigarettes, he lights me one and hands it to me. The disbelief on my face makes him half grunt, half chuckle.

"I may not like it, but it looks like you need one. I used to smoke years ago, but I kicked the habit." He smiles putting me a little more at ease. Facing straight ahead, I try to control the tremors in my hand as I take a puff then blow the smoke away from him. Out of the corner of my eye I see him watching me, determining where to go from here. I take a couple more hits off my smoke before stubbing it in the ashtray to finish later.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and take a breath. "I'm sorry you've gotten sucked into this. Thank you for helping me." I turn my head to him as he bumps my knee with his, a small smile plays at his lips. I return it, but don't really feel it.

"Tell me what happened," he says as he holds eye contact with me.

"Um," I start, licking my dry lips. "I was taking a break from cleaning."

His brows shoot up before he looks around.

"Don't judge." I'm already on edge and it comes out sharper than intended. The smirk dissipates from his face as he stares at me. "I work long shifts and sometimes don't get a day off for weeks."

"Sorry," he mumbles and motions for me to continue.

"I was taking a break from cleaning, in case
you
came over because I didn't want you to see what a mess my apartment normally is." His eyes glitter, but he keeps a straight face. Getting flustered, I continue, "I think he was trying to get my door unlocked because at first that was the only thing jiggling. Then he started pounding on the door and screaming. When I still wouldn't answer he tried to play sweet and innocent, apologizing, coaxing me to answer the door. That's when you called and he lost his shit and went around the house." My eyes go wide remembering I haven't checked the window in my bedroom. "Shit!"

I jump off the couch and run toward my bedroom.

"What?" Cash yells, following me.

I turn and put my hand up halting him. He rears back and his brows pull together.

"You can't come in here," I say firmly, making him laugh. "I'm serious, Cash!"

"I have seen the inside of women's bedrooms before, Hazel," he states, teasing me.

Heat flushes my face in embarrassment, and if I'm being honest with myself, a little bit of jealousy for every woman whose bedroom he's willingly entered. With his looks, I'm sure he's been lured into a few as well. That thought just makes it worse.