It's Never Too Late

Chapter 4

            “Jimmy meet Helen she’s my sister. Helen you have been talking to Jimmy because both of you wanted to ‘help us.’ Remember?”

            “Oh, about that, you know he really worries,” Jimmy stopped himself.

            “Yes Jimmy, he worries, I don’t like him to worry. I’d prefer him to be happy for me. I know you guys don’t mean anything by it, I’ve given up on love. I don’t want to fall for the wrong guy,” Emily said.

            “No, you can’t just give up on love,” Helen said disappointed.

            “I find myself happier,” Emily said trying to convince herself rather than Helen.

            “Well, that does it! I can’t believe you’re giving up,” Jimmy seemed dissatisfied.

            “It’s alright, you know what? I really am happier, I never thought this, but if he wants to be with Terry I won’t mind, I actually wish them well.” Emily sighed.

            “Emily?” Helen didn’t know what to say.

            “Helen it’s alright, don’t worry, I wanted to tell you guys something, I decided I’m not going to hide it. I was planning to tell you Helen, Jimmy is David’s friend and I couldn’t ask him to keep this secret from him, but I’ve decided not to,” Emily said.

            Jimmy was shocked, “you know I—”

            Helen raised a hand when she caught David coming into the room “David? How is your dad? What did he say?”

            “He’s fine, he’s going to be alright,” David sounded relieved.

            “That’s great! So is the doctor going to keep him all night? Can we take him home?” Emily wanted to know.

            “Yes, since he is alright he can leave. Helen, talk to him and Emily can go next that way you can go home, Helen needs to put away those bags.” David said.

            “Helen I’ll put your bags in my car, I’ll be here when you come out and take you home,” Jimmy noticed David’s and Emily’s stare, “I’ll take good care of her I promise. You need to talk. Tell her David.”

            “Tell me what?” Emily asked, Jimmy was acting strange.

            Jimmy turned to Emily, “you shouldn’t give up,” to David, “tell her.”

            David didn’t know what Jimmy meant, “wait? Give up? What are you talking about? Emily what is going on?”

            “You know, when you are in one of those awkward moments and you simply want to forget?” Emily asked nervously.

            “Yes.” David was serious.

            “Well, this is one of those moments, and I don’t want to talk about it,” Emily said.

            “Emily you are a sister to me I want you to see me as a brother.” David said.

            “I know that, don’t over protect me, I have to tell you something, I want you guys here too. If I can’t do it today, I’ll do it tomorrow, but I’ll tell you guys,” Emily said.

            “Can it be tomorrow? I’m tired, we’ll talk tomorrow.” David nodded.

            “Ok.” Emily said nonchalantly.

            Helen came out, “did you guys talk?”

            Jimmy walked up to her, “they still need to talk, I’ll take you home.”

            “Mr. Emerson looks tired, he seems disappointed to be here,” Helen said.

            “I’ll go talk to him now and don’t worry, he’s almost out.” Emily reminded.

            “You’re right” a smile spread David couldn’t help it, she smiled and went to see Mr. Emerson, he looked pale she was afraid because it brought back sad memories.

            Now I came to support them so I’ll suck it up, and I won’t allow my fears to stop me. “Hello, how are you feeling Mr. Emerson?”

            “I’m still young. So don’t treat me like I’m dying, you hear?! I’m still kicking it.” Mr. Emerson said with a serious voice.

            Emily laughed, “I know. Don’t worry we weren’t giving up, you have a lot of fight in you.”

             “I do.” Mr. Emerson said. They talked and laughed for a few minutes.

            “Well, good news you’ll be able to go home today, you must be happy, even Helen’s waiting for you to get better.” Emily said.

            The doctor came in, “ok sir, you can get ready you will leave in an hour. Sorry Miss, you have to wait in the lobby, you can start signing the papers.”

            Emily went back to the lobby. David, Helen and Jimmy were there, “I thought you guys left, didn’t you guys want to rest?” Emily looked at Helen.

            “We left and came back, I took a bath that’s all I needed. Jimmy wanted to come, unless you guys didn’t need him, I think he’s going to meet Terry today.”

            “Ah, I was supposed to go I needed to ask her something-” David stopped himself.

            “Go ahead, don’t worry just be back I need to tell you something important, it will help us,” Emily explained. Enough was enough I won’t keep this secret from him.

            The doctor came out, “I need David Emerson to sign some papers, will you come with me? It’ll only take a minute.” David left.

            “Helen, I need to talk to you. Remember I said I needed to tell David something important? I’m doing something undercover. I don’t know how to tell him, it’s good for the story and I will be getting the chance of my life! I want to be honest.” Emily said.

            “What are you doing?” Helen said concerned.

            “Remember the thief that was at the bank, he escaped they are still trying to catch him, I’m closer than ever to him I know it!” Emily said trying to sound excited.

            David was coming back they hadn’t notice he was about to tell them they were on their way out. Finally! Helen’s spoke sternly, “I’ll tell David if you don’t!”

            “I want to tell him, I was planning not to, but I can trust him and-” Emily stopped herself when she noticed David on the hallway, “David? How long have you been there?” Emily looked nervous.

            “Oh just about the whole conversation, I can’t believe you don’t trust me.” David looked hurt.

            “I trust you, but you over protect me, I mean there’s no real reason why you should, for example, I was interviewing Jacob. My phone kept ringing, I didn’t have to guess, I knew it was you.” Emily said.

            “I was calling because I received your message,” David explained.

            “I told you I would call, look the important thing is I have to tell you something very important…” Emily swallowed nervously.

            “Sir, sir, will you please, get your car and bring it around?” The doctor said.

            “Alright, that’s it!” Emily exploded, “I got close to him-I am I knew I could do it! I knew it! I went to Jacob and I—”

            David went from shocked to furious in a second, “what did you do?!” Jacob and Emily? Did he tell her how he felt about her?

            Emily was disappointed, that wasn’t the response I was going for, “I did nothing wrong! I thought you said you were letting me spread my wings. I mean unless that was a lie! Or are you just letting me stretch them?” Emily glared.

            “I’ll leave, don’t worry anymore, go ahead fly away. I’ll be driving my father home, I don’t want to see you today, maybe I don‘t want to see you the rest of the week!”

            Emily looked hurt, “fine! I will be going to the-”

            “I don’t care!” David said interrupting her as he left.

            “Fine!” Emily said sternly.

            “Are you guys fighting? Why aren’t you guys talking?” Jimmy asked.

            David left and Emily went out her way, wait…my car isn’t here, damn! Emily walked home, I’m not going back with David that’s for sure.

            She knew she was a mess, tired, hungry and cold, my sister was back at the hospital, but she can leave with David.

            I expected too much, now I’m awake, I don’t know why David was so mad, she wanted to talk to someone, she called Jimmy, but it was busy. Great! He was probably speaking with him, she did not want to talk to David right now.

            David came around on the car, Helen asked about Emily, “I thought she was with you! Damn it! She’s probably home, it’s minutes away.”

            They put Mr. Emerson in the car. As they drove home, nobody said anything about Emily they didn’t want to worry him. She wasn’t there, but left a note she’d call later she couldn’t speak now. “Where’s Emily? I thought she’d be here,” Mr. Emerson asked.

            “You know her dad, she is doing an interview, she’s been working hard after her vacation.” David said.

            “I had no idea. Well, I will wait for her to celebrate that she got her story back.” Mr. Emerson said.

            “David, can I talk to you?” Helen said.

            “Sure Helen, hold on.” David helped his dad inside.

            “Let me know when she comes, I’m gonna congratulate her,” Mr. Emerson said.

            “What’s up Helen?” David came back.

            “I want to know that exactly, I know she followed you out, what happened between you two? Did you get into an argument? You know how she is, of course she was going to take the chance I mean, wouldn’t you?” Helen asked.

            “I don’t think Jacob would be my type, Helen, just in case you didn’t notice I’m a guy.” David said obviously bothered by her comment.

            “Wait, what?! I thought she told you, I mean you would take the chance. Being a journalist is hard, especially when you’re a female journalist you don’t make it easier. I told her to tell you, I wouldn’t have either. It’s unfair, I should’ve stopped her, instead of telling her to tell you right there and then!” Helen sounded furious.

            “What are you talking about? How was I supposed to know? I thought she was talking about getting close to Jacob,” David said.

            “She told you she’d done it, didn’t she? Did you let her explain or you assumed something worse? Was she right when she said you’d only let her stretch her wings? I can’t wait for her call. I won’t let you hurt her, you hear? Not anymore!” Helen said.

            “You’ve just lost me, what is she doing exactly?” David asked.

            “She is-never mind, you know what? Ask her yourself! I’ll ask where she is so I can go with her.” Helen said.

            “Fine, I’ll ask!” David sounded bothered.

            The phone rang, they raced to get it but Helen was closer David went to listen in the other line. “Hi, Helen, I just wanted to tell you not to worry, I’m fine I decided to come to…” Emily stopped talking all of a sudden and there was silence at the other end.

            “Emily? Emily!” Helen said worried.

            Emily sounded nervous, “I’m fine,” she was crying.

            “Emily? What’s going on? Where are you?” Helen asked concerned.

            Emily’s voice came again, “I’m fine- I’m fine- I’m fine.” it was a recorder.

            Helen thought this was a sick joke, “who is this? I know this isn’t Emily!” There was a deep laugh and suddenly the line went dead.

            “David. Did you hear that? What just happened?” Helen asked.

            “I don’t know who it was. Call the police.” David remembered telling Emily, that I didn’t want to see her, I wasn’t expecting this. Especially now, I can’t tell my father, he just had a heart attack. “When the police come attend them, I’ll tell father we are interviewing them I don’t want him to have a setback.”

            “Alright.” Helen was crying.

            “I’m sorry I didn’t mean for this to-I just wanted her to trust me! You know she should be able to talk, she’s practically my sister. I should’ve shut up,” David sighed heavily, “it’s my fault.”

            “You misunderstood, she went undercover to write a story.” Helen told him.

            “What?! I thought we agreed not to! That’s a great example of crazy. What was she thinking? Jacob had a lot to do with this, I’m sure, he must’ve told her something. Because after that meeting she was acting strange she should’ve come to me. Damn! I should’ve known.”

            The police rang the doorbell, it was Terry with Jacob, “Terry you’re here, Terry this is Helen, she is her sister, she picked up the call. I was in the other line,” David explained hurriedly.

            “We’ll need a recording, did you have the call recorder on?” Terry asked.

            “Yes,” David said.

            “Good, I’ll need those and I’ll need to know who she was with last.”

            “She was with me,” David said. “I-we had an argument and I told her I didn’t want to see her.” Helen looked shocked.

            “What did you argue about?” Terry asked.

            “She works for a newspaper, as a journalist, she thinks I over protect her as an older brother. But she’s like a sister, I never intended something like this to happen.”

            “They were arguing in the hospital.” Helen said, “then he left to drive his car up to pick up Mr. Emerson and she left behind him. That’s the last we saw her. I‘ll get the recording to play it for you.”

            “She left a note saying she would call, I didn’t want to tell my father because he just came out of the hospital, I thought she was here. She took her car but no clothing except for what she had on.” David explained.

            Helen came back with the tape recorder that had been attached to the phone, and pressed play. “I know who took her, it was him Sam Sanderson that was his laughter” Jacob said.

            Everyone fell silent, “why is everybody so quiet?” Helen wanted to know.

            Jacob looked at her, “he is very dangerous, he had a grudge on her, thanks to her, he was caught the first time, he’s the thief from the bank robbery.”

            “What are we going to do? How much money does he want?” David asked.

            “I’m sorry David, I don’t even know if it’s money he wants,” Jacob said.

            “Then how do I find her?” David asked.

            “At this moment all you can do is wait!” Jacob explained.

            “Wait?! Terry I’m sure you can come up with something, my father is up stairs I don’t want him to know what’s going on here.” David said.

            “I suggest, you give him a sleeping pill, it’s better he sleeps through it. Unless you want him back in the hospital.” Terry said.

            “Jacob, how about you? You were the one who said ‘investigate him,’ Damn it! How could you? What were you thinking?” David glared.

            “I never told her to investigate she did that on her own,” Jacob said.

            “Don’t you know that if you tell a journalist that ‘they can’t’ it only pushes them to do it? That is her job! You!!!” David was furious.

            “STOP! That is enough! Both of you STOP IT, you’re not helping by arguing here. She’s my sister and I sure as heck, am not wasting my time. I hope you’re not mad David I called Jimmy.” Helen said.

            “Would you guys mind if I take a look around, to see if anything is misplaced, or taken? I think, if I find something I might be able to locate him faster.” Jacob said.

            “Fine.” David said sternly.

            Jimmy came in and he went to see what was going on, “I got a call, said it was important for me to come.”

            “Jimmy someone took her after she stormed out of the hospital. We never saw her again, I mean we always fought, I told her I didn’t want to see her.” David said.

            “I thought you guys talked.” Jimmy said.

            David lowered his voice, “did everyone know?”

            “I knew you would get mad she didn’t do anything wrong really, she’s only going undercover.” Jimmy explained.

            “I know! I hadn’t listened, Helen told me what really happened, maybe if I should’ve listened this wouldn’t be happening. If I knew that Jacob—”

            “Jacob, the high school jock?!” Jimmy asked lowering his voice.

            “Yes the high school jock, ok?” David was bothered.

            “Ok, I can’t believe you are still jealous. Helen explained, Emily doesn’t like the guy. What did Jacob ever do?” Jimmy said.

            “He gave her the information, he put her in danger by telling her that…” David could not go on as he broke down.

            He wasn’t about to be noticed, he went to his father’s room, to see if he was asleep. When he saw the medicine worked, he left. He was in bed sleeping in blissful ignorance.

            Jimmy and Helen were talking, Helen cried and Jimmy consoled her. Jacob was gone, as they told him, “Jacob left to talk to the family, of Sam Sanderson, he said he might get information about her.” Jimmy explained.

            “What? What does his family, have to do with any of this?” David asked.

            The police looked at him, “it’s private information, but you should know she was to start working there as a maid, Saturday, that was her cover.”

            David was shocked, “I had no idea, where is this place at?”

            “I’m sorry sir, we’ve said too much we can’t give you the address for security purposes.” The police said.

            “Security purposes? You must be kidding me!” David said aloud.

            “David! What’s going on here?” Mr. Emerson was coming down stairs, David turned and everyone stopped what they were doing, “tell me I’m dreaming, has Emily been taken? Where is she?”

            “Father, it’s not true. Relax and go to sleep.” David said shocked by his father.

            “David, I can’t believe, what are you saying? Do you think I’m an i***t? Do I look like a fool? Tell me what’s going on, or I’ll-” Mr. Emerson was getting angry.

            Jacob came in, “Emily, was not in the mansion we searched, but-”it was too late, “Mr. Emerson, is that you sir?” Jacob noticed.

            “Yes, tell me where is Emily?” No one dared to answer since they knew it would affect him, “David, don’t leave me out, where is she?” Mr. Emerson asked.

            Everyone was silent, finally David said, “I’m sorry dad, please don’t be mad.”

*****************

            The next day, Emily opened her eyes she was dizzy and trapped in a dark place, with a small window filled with piles of boxes. She couldn’t move, she looked down and noticed she was tied to a chair. She tried screaming, but her mouth was taped. With all her energy she tried to untie herself, what was she doing here? How did she get here?

            She remembered she had her camera and a recorder in her pocket, thank god for technology, she dug for her camera and pushed record and looked for something sharp to get loose. She looked around for a sign, what is this place? What happened to me?

            Emily remembered the hospital and her sister being there, she remembered David and the argument, how could he? Emily stormed out angrily from the hospital and leaving for home, she got in her car with the intension of going to a hotel to spend the night.

            But while she was driving, a man who had been hiding in the back of her seat pointed a gun at her, and said, “stop the car if you don’t want to die,” she had stopped.

            She had been crying because of the argument and the man said, “You owe me and if you don’t want your sister to get it, you'll call her and you will tell her that you’re fine.”

            “I don’t know what you are talking about, who are you?” Emily had said angrily.

            “Try to remember Emily I remember you. I‘ll give you a hint, you were there at the wrong place at the wrong time, I needed to get away and you interfered with my plans.”

            “Sam? Sam Sanderson? Is that you?” Emily swallowed nervously.

            “I’m not a patient man, call your sister now,” Sam threaten her with a gun, she called her, he used a recorder to record her saying, “I’m fine.”

            She was about to tell her sister where she was when all of a sudden she felt something hit her behind the head and fell over. He must have taken her. Emily heard footsteps coming down some stairs, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep on the back, her hands were working to turn on a recorder.

            “She is still asleep, you see, she ain’t awake yet! Don’t waste my time with your ears imagining things. She can‘t get out, and if she tries, boss said put to her down.”

            “I heard her! What if she figures us, and gets away? What will we do? Huh?”

            “We ain’t getting caught I tell ya’, now listen, won’t you?” The men left. She was trapped in a basement, these men were going to kill her if they catch me, I’ll get away, but how? Emily freed her hands, her mouth and feet.

            Well it definitely, was not Sam’s parents, this was Sam’s doing and his henchmen working for him, she needed to get away. She saw a bat near the door, and got a plan.

            She got the bat, and hid behind a pile of boxes, placing her camera where she could get everything, that’s when she saw the phone on the wall. The men came downstairs, with guns drawn, she remained hidden and held the bat tightly ready to give it to them.

            They saw the rope, “oh, she got away! What do we do? We can't go back to jail.”

            “Shut up! She didn‘t get away, unless she would‘ve open the latch I have the key to it and she can’t open it from the inside, stupid!” Emily was, dizzy, hold on, hold on. I can’t lose it now, I have to get help.

            “She’s hiding, I know it,” he was coming towards the boxes, where she was and she hit him. He fell, and she grabbed his gun.

            “Get down, or I’ll shoot.” the man ran and she followed, the door was locked, damn! How do I get myself into these messes? She went back and tied the man.

            He woke up, “son-of-a-b***h, lady,” she slapped him.

            “What does Sam want? Where am I?” The man laughed at her ignorance.

            “Nothing’s changed, you are still gonna die, he won’t let you live, he has the dumbest grudge against you and he and his family, are gonna destroy you.”

            “Him and his family?” Emily thought aloud.

            “Yes, his parents. They hid him and helped him escape, now they gave him this house for him to live while he hides. Don’t look so surprised yet. He is probably going to do the same to your sister.”

            Emily started beating him, “you won’t get away with this, I’m a reporter and you are being recorded, say hello to the camera.”

            The man was furious, he wasn’t expecting for her to record this, “now if you and your partner let me go, I promise to keep quiet. If you don’t I’m going to use your telephone to call the police,” he was surprised. “Your choice, I’m not patient.”

            She headed to the wall phone and dialed 911. When they answered she said, “help! They have a gun. They locked me up in the basement.”

            “We’re on our way! Please stay on the line.” The other man came back and hit her head and she fell to the ground unconscious.