Falling Roses Excerpts

Part One

Bright headlights from a car blinded a teenage girl as she strolled the length of a sidewalk, searching for a pay phone. From where the girl stood, she couldn’t tell if the vehicle heading her way was a small truck or a large sedan.

She waited and watched.

Clank. Clink.

She heard the front bumper strike the metal guard dividing the two-lane street.

After a pause, it shifted into reverse.

“Oh God. Is he drunk?” the girl hissed underneath her breath. Her heart skipped a beat.

As she looked around, the girl could see a U-turn break ahead. There was no other place to run. Would she reach the other side in time? Before the car jumped the curb, came closer to her...?

As the dark car moved toward her, again she stopped walking.

In her left hand, she clutched a Celebrity Homes magazine. Unconsciously, she strapped her beige purse snugly around her shoulder and across her chest. The empty backpack she carried fell to the ground.

She stared at the car’s headlights. She never had the chance to run or to scream.

Part Two

“Do you feel safer now?” John asked.

“No,” Gabrielle said. “Please stay. Don’t leave me.”

“I have to go to her,” John said walking toward the front door. He parted the curtain to look outside. He turned to face her, “I love you.” He kissed her. “You have nothin’ to worry about. She doesn’t want me dead, she wants you dead.” He put on his coat.

“Is that your way of trying to cheer me up?”

“Did it work? If I’m not back by nine, tomorrow morning, call Lily. Trevor will be with me and Lily knows her way here.”

“I’m frightened for you,” she told him. “Don’t do this,” she begged.

“Nothing will happen to me.”

“You lie,” she protested.

John moved the drapes to look out the window again. “See. There’s the van I was tellin’ you about. It’ll stay here until I get back. Call Shedel.”

“Is it safe?” she asked.

“Yes. When you dial the number from your office this isn’t the only phone that rings.”

“How many phones ring?” she asked, while dialing.

“About fifty.”

“Bernadette knows about the pictures,” Gabrielle said into the phone. “She might know you took ’em. You need to stay with me....” She ended the call and handed John his cell phone.

“I love you,” John said to her, as he opened the door.

“John?” Gabrielle said frightened.

“Yes?” He closed the door.

“How many people are in on this?” she asked.

“I have a lot of friends, if that’s what you’re asking?”

“How many friends? Fifty?”

“Hundreds,” John said. He opened the door and she called out to him. “Yes?” He closed the door again.

“Are you in a mob too?” she asked.

“Bobbie, we’ll take that bath together in the morning. I have to leave.”

“John?” She grabbed him.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart¾” he kissed her forehead¾ “nothing’s going to happen to me. Look at me. Tomorrow, we’ll spend all day together. Nine o’clock, Bobbie, I’ll be home no later than nine. Stay here with Shedel, and I’ll wake you when I get home.”

“John!” He opened the door and spun around. “Don’t leave me,” she cried. John kissed her lips passionately. He forced her to let go while he departed backward out the door.

She fell to the floor and cried.

Part Three

~~~

“I bet you can’t wait until you get to Hawaii,” J.J. said, peering over Gabrielle’s shoulder. “You’re going to get married on your birthday, aren’t you?”

Gabrielle closed the record book. “I can’t wait to get to Maui,” she said. “Again, we have no plans on getting married there. Unless, you know something I don’t?”

“Don’t get married. You’ll be miserable for the rest of your life.”

“John and I will miss Jackie and Robbie.” She stood from the lunchroom table and walked toward the hallway.

J.J. followed. “Bobbie, don’t get angry with me.” He held the café door open for her.

She thought to head into the women’s restroom, however knew her best friend continued to think it was a unisex and he’d follow her. She turned to look at him and whispered, “Why shouldn’t I get angry with you? It was one night, J. One night was all it was. I thought he slept with tuba and without thinking straight, I used you to get back at him. I had no feelings for you then, and don’t have those types of feelings for you now. I thought we agreed that this is in the past, it was one night, and you were going to let me go.”

“Bobbie¾”

“You told me you’d never tell John and I trust that you won’t¾”

“I’ll never tell Ravolie. I haven’t told anyone.”

“Am I supposed to say thank you?”

“I need to know the truth. Is Robbie my son? I won’t tell Ravolie if he is. Just tell me the truth. I need to know¾for me.”

Fury snapped into her eyes. “God damn it, J.J.! For the last time you son of a bitch, Robbie is not your son!” she said quietly, pointing a finger at him. “He is not your son.” When she noticed John walking toward them, her eyes softened. “Oh, there’s John. We have to leave for the airport.” She planted a kiss on J.J.’s left cheek.

“I want a blood test done,” he shot back; his mouth was to her ear.

She faked a smile, looked toward John. “Are you ready to go, sweetheart?”

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