It's Never Too Late

Chapter 3

            They turned to a knock on the window, “David, you‘re here!” Oh god I missed you. “How have you been? I heard you convinced your father, how did you do it?” Emily asked getting out of the car in a hurry.

            “Wow, you look amazing! Helen was right, you are changed. I’m great, it wasn’t easy convincing my father. We have a lot to do this week. Rest, I’ll talk to you later. I have to meet Terry, the detective I’ve been interviewing for the story.” David explained.

            “Alright, I’ll call Helen to let her know I arrived,” Emily left Jimmy and David talking on the living room sofa she went to her room and took her cell phone and called Helen they spoke for a few minutes.

            “Emily, what did David say about your look?” Helen asked hurriedly.

            “He liked it, he’s here he wants to talk to me so I‘ll leave you, ok?” Emily said.

            “Emily you’re not joking are you?” Helen said excitedly.

            “Of course not, he’s really here, and-” Emily said noticing the way she talked.

            “Ok, call me right after he leaves ok?” Helen said hurriedly.

            “Uh, ok? Got to go, bye.” Emily looked confused.

            “Bye.” Helen said happily.

            Emily went downstairs, they talked about the story. “The only way my dad let you is if I’m around. I promise I won’t get in your way. But, if you need me, I can help since this is a big story we’ll have to put it for front page.” David said proud.

            “Jimmy told me about some changes that were going to happen to the newspaper, maybe we can do undercover work for the story.” Emily said without thinking.

            “What?! No! Not undercover, don’t even think about it!” David said.

            “Yes, and get the story about the thief, I know he had to have a partner and to tell you guys the truth I think we can figure it out.” Emily insisted.

            “A partner?” David said thoughtfully.

            “Yes, someone who has the knowledge about the guards that were working at the bank, somebody giving him information, we need proof.” Emily said excitedly.

            “Ok, am I listening correctly? Are you trying to put yourself in danger again?” David said angrily. I am going to get her back out if she is thinking that way.

            “I am not doing that, you have to give me a break. Someone that can help us, we have to figure out who. It has to be someone who works there,” Emily said thoughtfully.

            “Emily, what are you thinking about?” David said somehow not believing her.

            “Well, why don’t you ask Terry to help us with the undercover stuff?” Emily said.

            “I don’t see why not,” David sighed relieved. “As long as you don’t do it.”

            “Perfect,” Emily smiled victoriously.

            “Yes, we’ll call you.” Jimmy said turning to leave.

            “I’ve been going on and on about the story. Guess what?” Emily said.

            “What?” they said together.

            “Helen is going to be moving back, on June, she’ll be graduating and getting her associates, she’s studying locally, for her bachelors.” Emily said excitedly.

            “Good, I’ll finally meet her, I mean you guys always mention her but I never met her.” Jimmy looked nervous all of a sudden. Did I just say that?

            “Sure, I know it’s some time from now but you will.” I wonder if they spoke, before. “Jimmy, have you spoken to her on the phone?” Emily asked.

            “Ah, no not really.” Damn! Me and my big mouth I better leave before I say anything else! “I have to go home, but I’ll call you later?” Jimmy said nervously.

            Jimmy and Helen had been talking a lot about David and Emily. They were trying to help them since they knew they were in love, but were unable to say it to each other.

            “Ok, talk to you later then?” Emily looked confused by his reaction.

            “I’ll show you to the door.” David said. “Actually, I am going now since I’ve said everything I came to say. I‘ll call Terry to see if she can help us.” 

            Emily felt jealous, “she? I thought Terry was a guy,” she tried not to make it obvious, she remembered he saw her as a sister, better that, than to lose his friendship.

            “I know, everybody calls her that, I think her name is Theresa, or Therese, well I’ll just call her Terry, she told us to.” David said nervously.

            Why is he so nervous? “I guess that makes sense.” Her mind was on a lot of things and she could not worry about Terry. She remembered the man outside the coffee shop, he seemed familiar, but who was he?

            She went to her room and locked the door behind her, she called her sister because she had to ask her. Jimmy had never heard about her yet he says he wants to meet her and ‘he’s heard so much about her’? Since when?

            She was hoping it was a mistake, it didn’t make sense, her sister wanted to help her with David but she hoped, hoped that Helen was not acting with Jimmy. I’m not hopeless, I’ll find a way to tell him maybe, maybe not. But I won‘t accept this.

            “Emily? I knew you’d call back. Did David leave?” Helen said.

            “Yes, and so did Jimmy, and you know what he asked?” The other end went silent. “Please, tell me you and Jimmy are staying out, for the sake of our love lives, you know how I feel about it.” Emily said.

            “Did something happen?” Helen wondered how she found out.

            “Did you ever talk to him about me and David?” Emily asked.

            “Ok, so maybe I might have mentioned that to him, we are leaving it to you to tell him. Better if you tell him, soon.” Helen explained.

            “No. I said it before and I’ll say it again, he sees me as a sister and nothing more, if he wants to see someone else I can’t stop him!” Emily said loudly.

            “I didn’t know he was seeing someone,” Helen said.

            “I don’t know yet.” Emily said sternly.

            “Then what are you waiting for? You should tell him how you feel.”

            “Helen, I can’t, now I’m sure he sees me as a sister. I want you to call him and both of you have to stop.”

            “I’ll do it. Remember the guy that was outside the coffee shop? He asked about you, he recognized you, he’s from San Francisco, he wants to talk to you, he said he was in your English class in high school, he wants to meet you,” Helen said.

            “What?!” Emily said loudly.

            “Before you say no, he was looking for you he says he has information on the story you are working on.” Helen explained.

            “Wait a minute, how did he know I was working on the story?” Emily asked.

            “He is a private eye and told me that he wanted to meet you. I did not tell him where you were, I wanted to ask first.”

            “You know what? Did he give you a number?” Emily, turned her computer on she wanted to find out who this mystery man was. If he was telling the truth she wanted to see him. “I still find it strange that he was there and now he’s—”

            “He was hired by the police seems he’s worked with them before. His name is Jacob Thomas. Does it sound familiar?” Helen asked.

            “I remember, he was in the football team. I can see him tomorrow.” Emily said.

            “Perfect! I’ll let him know.” Helen said.

            Emily hung up, Jacob was her prom date. They were friends, girls were jealous of her. “Why did he take her?” they would say. She couldn’t help but wonder how he was. It seemed so long, since the last time I’ve seen him.

            The last time she’d seen him was in graduation, she was looking for her parents. She was supposed to meet him after graduation for the party. But she received the news about the accident she had to leave, without even saying so much as goodbye.

            Time changed her, she became stronger carried many of life’s scars. Her parents’ deaths had left a deep scar in her heart, all she could do was deal with it. From that moment on she was an orphan and the great feeling of isolation began.

            Emily got her camera ready for the next day’s meeting with Jacob, she wanted to get the story, especially be the one to help find him. She knew that if she helped, David would try to stop her. But he doesn’t have to know. At least not until, after the story. Don’t need him protecting me!

            The next day she got a phone call confirming the appointment she had with Jacob, she had to get in contact with David to tell him she was interviewing someone he wasn’t answering, it would go straight to voice mail.

            She left a message, “hey David, call me I might have an important appointment today, he might have a lead for the story, it’s Jacob looks like he is working with the police to catch the same thief. Give me a call whenever you can. Or actually, no. I have a camera with me I‘ll record everything, talk to you soon, or when I‘m done. Ok bye.”

            She hung up feeling foolish, but she had never been good at leaving messages, note to self: never leave a message. Ever! She embarrassed herself once again.

            She arrived at a restaurant and went inside, she found Jacob and as soon as he saw her he got up with his arms spread. “Emmy, how you been? It‘s been years, my god!”

            Her appearance was different and was now a successful woman who was going to be an anchor, she was one of the few who could say she was making her dream come true.

            “I'm doing well, and you look different yourself. I wanted to talk to you about that, I’m sorry I stood you up that day, my parents died five years ago.”

            “I heard, you know how school was, everyone found out. We were hoping they’d be alive though. What happened to you and your sister after your parents’ death?”

            “I started working for the paper, we went to live with the Emerson’s, remember David? Well, he’s working there too, he’s like a big brother to me, he’s always been.”

            “Oh.” Jacob seemed disappointed he remembered David, brother alright! More like a bother. He never left her alone! “Did David ever say he had feelings for you?”

            “No he was-is like a brother to me. He protected me always and we practically grew up together. We always did everything together and thanks to him I got this job. Since when were you interested in becoming a PI?” Emily asked.

            “My dad got me into it, he was a detective I started working with the police three years ago. I kept surveillance, and investigated inmates, you see being in a cell didn’t stop Sam from communicating with his partner, there is more than meets the eye.”

            “Do you think he staged the robbery to get away with something else?” Emily asked surprised since she knew he had come from a rich family.

            “It’s a possibility.” Jacob explained.

            “So, he knew I was a journalist the day he went to steal from the bank apparently, he made a fool out of me, and got away with something else.” Emily said angrily.

            “No! I don’t think he was expecting you to be there, that was part of his plan he needed the cash to get away, thanks to you, he didn’t.” Jacob explained.

            Suddenly, her phone rang it was David, she didn’t want to answer because she was in her appointment. He was with Terry after all. She ignored it and put her phone back in her purse, “Jacob, do you know anyone who could go undercover? I want to get the story first, I’ll do anything.”

            “Anything?” Jacob asked thoughtful.

            “I need someone’s help, someone who could tell me about him I think you’re the perfect person.” Emily explained.

            “I don’t know Emmy, I actually came to protect you, you see he may be after you he has a grudge. If he were to find out, he’d come after you, that is why I wanted to meet with you. I’m meeting everyone who knew him somehow.” Jacob explained.

            “Jacob, are the people that were there, in danger?” Emily said.

            “I don’t know it’s a good thing to warn people, about him in your newspaper.”

            “Where could he be planning to go?” Emily asked.

            “With family here. I fear they may be hiding him, we don’t have any proof.”

            “Who’s the family?” Emily asked interested.

            “He has parents, siblings I can’t tell you who they are, until Sam’s been caught.”

            “I promise, not to put their names yet, please tell me?” Emily begged.

            “Emily, it’s not my choice, if it was—” Jacob sighed.

            “Jacob, trust me, their names won’t be in the story. You won’t regret it, who knows probably I’ll end up helping you. We only want to know how they are coping without their son,” Emily lied.

             “They are millionaires, trust me they won’t want to be bothered,” Jacob said.

            “Luckily for you my job is to insist with people that don’t want to be bothered.” Emily insisted.

            “Promise not to do it alone.” Jacob looked at her knowingly.

            “Promise.” Emily lied, I have to.

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

            David heard her message, he tried calling her but, no answer. Damn, I hope she doesn’t try to do anything. Emily was the kind of girl who, let’s just say loved to work on her own.

            She thought it was better, to do everything alone there wouldn’t be any mistakes later, the best thing was to get in touch with her.

            He tried again, Emily ignored the call as soon as she saw it was him, he wasn’t stopping her this time. She excused herself, she wanted to tell him something to make him stop calling her. He picked up as soon as it rang.

            “Emily! Where are you?” David said concerned.

            “Jacob brought me to a restaurant, listen he’s going to give me the scoop, can’t talk call you later, kay?” Emily said to calm him down.

            “Emily, don’t hang up, listen please-” David said pleadingly.

            “David, please I’ll call you later,” Emily hung up and turned it off, it’s not fair him distracting me from talking to Jacob. He was going to assist them in getting the story, we’re going to help him keep everyone safe by putting this story out there. David makes me mad, at times.

            She went back to Jacob, she knew what she was going to do next, she was meeting the family, but had to know how to get in without getting caught because from what she heard she thought they could be dangerous.

            “I’m sorry Jacob, I’m supposed to meet David, you think we can talk another time? David called I have to leave,” she didn’t like lying, but it was the only way.

            Damn! “Fine, I have to be somewhere too.” Jacob gave her his card, “you can call me at any time, I’m mostly out but you have all my numbers.”

            Emily took the card and left, she wanted to call David, but knew that if she told him what she was about to do, he would stop her, or worse deny her the story.

            Emily went to the Sanderson’s mansion they were hiring a maid to work weekends, she would get the job, and keep a ‘closer look’. She wished she could tell someone, Jimmy was David’s friend, he wouldn’t keep her secret.

            Finally the guilt of lying got to her and called David, but ended up leaving a message, “hey sorry I spoke like that. I'll be home in an hour meet me there we need to talk.” Hope he’s not mad. God will I ever do stop thinking if he’s mad or not?!

            Emily was sure to leave her car parked in her garage and took a cab to the Sanderson’s mansion, and she had a hidden recorder, she wanted to be prepared. “This is what you want. This is what you want.” I need this and if I repeat it to myself, I’d want it.

            The front of the house was huge and the drive way could fit ten cars if they decided to park in there. The garden was full of roses, which the wind picked up their scent and the grass was so green.

            Emily was surprised that someone with a life style like that could have done something so horrible. She rang the doorbell, the butler opened the door and she said, “excuse me is this the Sanderson’s place, I was told to ask for Esther Sanderson because they wanted to hire a maid.”

            “Come this way madam.” The butler led her inside.

            She followed through corridors, he stopped suddenly and pointed outside the back yard, he opened the door for her. “Right there, she is seating in a picnic table, she’ll call, in one moment.”

            He left without waiting for a reply, and she stood there, ok you made it this far, you have this, relax and don’t mess up. She took a deep breath and put up a smile when Esther called her, she was drinking wine.

            “What’s your name?” Esther said.

            “Hello, my name is Em,” she didn’t want to give her full name just in case she would remember it as the one who put her son in jail. Yet she didn’t want to give a name too different from her’s so she wouldn’t get confused if she were to ever call her. “I have a lot of experience in house cleaning. I was looking for a job and I heard you were hiring.”

            “Wait, let me think, aw’ yes I’ve met you before.” Esther said trying to remember.

            Emily was nervous, did she recognize me?

            “I know! You worked here before, Em. No, you didn’t, I know you were at the party. I think I told you to come if you needed a job. Yes I’m still hiring. Patrick show Em around she is going to be the new maid.”

            The mansion was beautiful inside, the rooms were well decorated in gold colors almost all the house was as if to be obsessed with it. But it made their home brighter, she was glad that Esther was drinking, it made things easier for her. Maybe I could get her to talk to her later.

            The butler was very protective about one specific room, “no one goes in there, ever!” he warned, I have to place a camera on that mystery room, if they were hiding him he had to be there.  

            Emily left with an excuse to check out the room, she opened the door, when suddenly she heard footsteps. She shut the door and hid under the desk.

            She saw the door being opened, two feet come in walk from side to side, and leave the room. She stood when it was safe and put a hidden camera on the lamp and a microphone on the phone.

            She came out of the room and went to meet the butler Patrick again, he looked at her surprised, “Ms. Em, where were you? We were looking for you.”

            Emily thought quick, “looking for the restroom, I could not find it. But then I remembered there was one up stairs on the second floor, and went there instead.”

            “Mrs. Esther wants you to come this Saturday and start then.” Patrick said.

            Emily sighed happily, I did it! This is the happiest day of my life, although she couldn’t tell anyone she could still trust her sister to keep the secret. She remembered she had to meet David.

            She took another taxi, she was running late, he would have to understand I was with Jacob, she couldn’t say anything else, at least not yet. She couldn’t believe she forgot about him.

            David was waiting he looked disappointed, “where were you?” Her face turned pale, I don’t like to lie to him, but I have to.

            “I told you, I was with Jacob. And, you were-” Emily stopped herself.

            “I was what?” David said angrily.

            “Making it hard for me to interview him, I told you I was with Jacob in the message,” Emily said nervously.

            “Jacob told me you weren’t with him, that you had to meet me, I thought I had to go since you were ‘coming’ to meet me. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting? Two hours!” David raised two fingers at her.

            “I forgot…and to tell you the truth I didn’t want you to worry, that’s why I came left the car in the garage and I came from the gym. I wanted to take a walk home and feel the breeze after I was done.” Emily said quickly.

            He embraced her, his eyes filled up with tears, “I didn’t know where you were, I’m sorry I worry,” David said as he was hugging her.

            “David you are worrying me, what is going on?” Emily said scared.

            “I’ve been searching for you I thought…” David started crying, she hugged him back, she wanted to know what was wrong.

            “Please tell me what is wrong, is something the matter? You’re scaring me. David what is it?” Emily said seriously.

            “My father! Something happened to him, he’s in the hospital, he got a heart attack, I called Helen she’s on her way,” David said.

            No! Please no, she felt hopeless, it was her mother’s story all over again. Her eyes filled with tears although she had promised to herself, not to cry she just couldn’t help it.

            They went to the hospital and asked for him and the doctor came out, “I’m afraid he hasn’t woken up, we’ll keep him until we know more.”

            “Doctor is he going to be alright?” Emily asked.

            “I’m sorry who are you?” The doctor asked her.

            “I’m his…” Emily’s gaze went down she didn’t know what to say.

            “Daughter. This is my sister, how is our father, doctor?” David said.

            She felt sad and content at the same time, she didn’t want to be a sister, yet David was a brother-a friend. It’s what her mother wanted, for her not to be alone, she had a feeling of companionship. She didn’t remember the last time she felt that way.

            “David, I’ll stay, I hope you don’t mind he’s the closest thing I have to a father.” he looked saddened all of a sudden. Did I say something wrong? “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say anything to offend you, I’ll go if you want me to.”

            “Emily stay, don’t ever say that! You are my ‘sister’ I just wish you’d see that.”

            She couldn’t help, but feel embarrassed about what she said. “I’m sorry it’s just that I promised my mother to stay strong, for Helen’s sake I can’t fail.”

            “I’ve never seen you like this before, I’m guessing you must have gone through a lot, you didn’t need to hide it. You can come to me when you need a friend, trust me, I’m here for you.” David said.

            “If I cry, it won’t make the problem go away or stop it.” Emily said sternly.

            David was going to say something when the hospital doors opened and Jimmy walked in, “I heard and came as soon as I could- sorry, I wish I could do something about it.” he looked sad for David.

            “Hey you guys, I’ll get coffee, I have to talk to you both,” Emily decided to tell him. Maybe with Jimmy there it would be easier. He was going to find out sooner or later, better now from me and not later by someone else. David is right, I should tell him.

            She came back with the coffees, more nervous to reveal her plan than ever, I have to, “Helen?” Helen walked through the door carrying her suit case.

            “I took a cab, I figured you would be here, what happened?” Helen asked.

            “Mr. Emerson had a heart attack, he hasn’t woken up,” Emily explain.

            “I know, what are they saying? Are they letting him go?” Helen asked.

            “Maybe, they’re not sure yet, if he wakes up.” Emily said.

            The doctor came out, and he seemed surprised to see more people, “alright he’s awake, you can go see him, but only one at a time.”

            “David, you should go first we’ll go after you.” Emily said.

            David seemed relieved leaving, thanking them for being there.

            Suddenly she turned to Helen and Jimmy angrily, “ok, I want to talk to you both,” they seemed surprised.