After the Storm (Chapter-31)

Paul tossed and turned most of the night, not really settling into more than dozing moments. At dawn he finally gave up and got out of bed to drink coffee and try to stimulate himself awake. Carissa was still in bed but Paul didn’t know if she was sleeping or if she had been just as restless overnight. He could see the reflection of his bloodshot eyes in the cup of coffee he was sipping.

Paul turned on the news, but kept the sound down, trying not to wake Carissa. He was only half listening, up until the point where they announced a raid on a jewelry wholesaler and he looked up in time to see Abraham with his hands handcuffed behind him being led from a police car into the police station. There were other members from the video being led into the station as well. Paul was in shock and knew that Carissa would want to see this too.

He went to her door and reluctantly knocked softly and he heard an almost muffled, “Come in.”

Paul opened the door and said, “They got them. It was just on the news, they arrested the whole group. Abraham and the other guys on the video.”

Carissa jumped up and asked, “Is it on now?”

Paul replied, “Yes, I can roll it back to that spot.”

Carissa followed him back to the kitchen where he had the small kitchen TV playing. He took the remote and rolled the video back to the spot where the announcement came.

Carissa was shocked and said, “Oh my God, they got them all.”

They had just finished watching the newscast when Paul’s phone rang.

When he answered he heard someone on the other end say, “This is James Farren, the district attorney. I am sure you probably have heard about the arrest we have recently made. Your testimony will be instrumental in this case and I would like to visit with you about that testimony.”

Paul replied, “I have a stake in this too, since I was attacked and left for dead, so you can count on my testimony.”

Carissa was standing close by waiting for the details about the phone call.

Paul said, “That was the district attorney; he said he will want to visit about our testimony. We may not be allowed to discuss the case. He didn’t, however, say not to.”

Carissa said, “I have to get ready for work.” Paul would be going into the office too.”

He said, “I can make a quick breakfast.”

Carissa responded, “I can just grab something on the way.”

Paul decided there was no need to make a breakfast for just one so he made the quick decision to grab something on the way as well.

Paul left for the office right behind Carissa. Evelyn greeted him when he walked in and as soon as he was seated in his office, she brought him a cup of coffee in. He had been in his office for barely an hour when his phone rang. He answered and there was no mistake about the voice on the other end being Carissa’s.

He asked, “What’s up, is there something wrong?”

She replied, “I have been thinking and I just don’t know what I want but I know we can’t keep evading what we want to talk about.”

Paul replied, “I agree with that, we need to decide what we are and then I think we will both feel better.”

Carissa and Paul decided they would talk when they both made it home later that night. Paul went back to thinking about the arrest that had been made and wondered about what other evidence they might have found. Paul heard a knock on his door so he said, “Come in.”

It was Evelyn standing there.

She said, “I need to talk to you for a minute.”

Paul replied, “I’m listening, go ahead.”

Evelyn said, “I was watching the news this morning and I saw the police arresting someone I had seen before.”

Paul replied, “I know who you are referring to. What do you know about the people who were arrested?”

Evelyn said, “When you stopped coming into the office, we didn’t know what to think. I thought we might have to close the place until you came back.”

Paul replied, “I can understand that. I wasn’t in the position to contact you.”

Evelyn said, “A man came into the office. He said he was a friend of yours and you needed to work remotely for a while because of a family emergency. He told me…he told me you needed a few files to complete some jobs you had started.”

Paul replied, “Did he tell you what files he needed?”

Evelyn said, “He told me if I showed him the files he could get the ones you needed. He seemed legit and he went right to the area where he wanted. I was always waiting thinking he would bring them back but he never did and I saw him on the TV this morning.”

Paul laid the photos out from the folder he had and he asked, “Is it one of these guys?”

Evelyn pointed to Abraham and said, “That is him.”

It came as no surprise to Paul that she pointed out Abraham, he would have bet it was him if he could get anyone to give odds.

Paul said, “The district attorney called this morning. These are the guys that kidnapped me and left me for dead in Colorado and the DA may want you to testify about them coming in for the files.”

Evelyn replied, “Okay, just let me know, I will testify if they need me.”

When Evelyn left Paul’s office, he called the DA to let him know what Evelyn told him. The DA told him they may want to add her testimony to establish premeditation.

Paul thanked Evelyn for coming and telling him the truth. The fact that most of the people who wanted him dead were now in jail was a consolation for Paul. Paul had a few clients that came in for his help and he was glad to get back into the swing of work. Having something to do other than worrying about catching murderers made the time pass and before he knew it, the day had ended. He said good night to Evelyn when she left for the day. She asked if she needed to wait and lockup.

Paul replied, “I will take care of it.”

Paul was nervous about going home, especially since Carissa had asked to “talk” when he got home. He didn’t know what to expect but in his past experience, the announcement that “We need to talk” never ended well. He decided that it was time to lay his cards on the table and let whatever was going to happen, happen. He knew that she would be home when he got there. He could hold her off for a little while by telling her the revelation he got from Evelyn.

Her car was in the driveway. He stopped to place his hand on the hood of her SUV to see how long she had been home. The hood was cold and that told Paul she had been there for a while. He walked to the front door and slowly turned the knob. When he passed through the entryway, she was sitting on the couch when he made it into the den. She smiled and walked to greet him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. He was unsure where things were going.

He said, “Evelyn came in today to confess that she let Abraham come in and get the files. She said she didn’t know him and he told her he was a friend of mine and came to get some folders I needed. It was when I was gone from the office so I suppose it sounded like a logical story.”

Carissa replied, “I guess that solves that question. Have you heard anything else from the DA?”

Paul replied, “I called him to tell him what Evelyn told me and he said they may be able to add that to their other evidence if they think they need more.”

Carissa asked, “Are you ready to talk about what I invited you to talk about?”

Paul replied, “I guess we have put it off for a while, we might be better off if we just get it in the open.”

Carissa said, “I will start. When I first met you, you were in bad shape and you needed my help. I knew you felt an attraction early on but I know patients often become attracted to their caregivers and I needed to create some distance between us. I needed to remain objective, for the sake of you getting well.”

Paul said, “I was attracted early but not because you saved my life, but because you made it worth living.”

Carissa said, “Damn you.” She put her arms around him and gave him a lingering kiss and then she said, “I need to finish what I am trying to say while I still have the nerve.”

Paul smiled and stepped back.

He said, “Please continue.”

She said, “Okay, here goes. I had other reasons for keeping some distance between us. I didn’t know you and you were stabbed when I found you and I had no way of knowing then if there had been a good reason for somebody to do that.”

Paul was taking everything in but had to butt in to say, “What would have been a good reason for someone to have stabbed me?”

Carissa replied, “I don’t know, maybe somebody wanted to get even for something you did to them. But the important thing was I got to know you and I knew there was no reason anyone would have to stab you. So the more I got to know you the more I knew what kind of man you are. I knew you wanted more than just being friends and I did too, but I had been alone a long time; I wasn’t sure if I was ready to get involved with someone. But watching you every day and spending time with you every day won me over. It took me a while to admit it and I am just now getting to that place, but I have been thinking about it for a couple of days now.”

Paul had listened but now decided it was time for him to talk.

He said, “Okay, I think I need to respond to this so let me start first by giving you a thank you. You stopped and rendered aid to someone you didn’t know. I could have been a serial killer for all you knew and even though you carried a pistol in your purse and your dad taught you how to shoot the eye out of a mosquito at a hundred yards doesn’t mean you could have been in danger. Thank you for taking a chance.”

Carissa said, “You’re welcome but you exaggerated a little, I have to be fifty yards away to shoot their eye.”

Paul continued, “The point is that I fell completely in love with you and I don’t think that has ever really been a secret but I could sense you weren’t ready. You left your home and your job, friends and life in Colorado to move here and I was pretty sure that wasn’t because you had a hankering to be a detective. That is one bold ass move and it takes some guts to take a chance like that.”

Carissa replied to that, “I did come here but if you recall, I kept my house in Colorado so I could go back anytime. What I am saying with all of this is that I am now ready to move forward if you are and I think we have gotten to know each other much better than we would have if we had jumped into the relationship.”

Paul asked, “Okay we have had true confessions, so where does that leave us?”

Carissa answered, “I hope that leaves us together, I love you.”