Chapter 6

 

There was a knock on the front door of her small house and Charlotte peered through the peep hole. She sighed irritably. Vince, twisting his hands nervously, was standing on her doorstep. It had been two days since she had testified in court and she had holed up in her house, calling in sick to work and refusing to answer her phone.

“Please, Charlotte. I know you’re in there.” Vince called through the door.

“Go away, Vince!” Charlotte yelled grumpily.

“Just let me in so I can explain. Please. I’m not leaving until you do.” He spoke determinedly.

“Goddammit.” She muttered under her breath. She waited another minute and then yanked the door open. “You have five minutes.”

He followed her into the house and down the hallway to the kitchen. He sat down nervously at the table as she leaned against the counter and glared at him.

“Well? I’m waiting.” She said impatiently.

“I couldn’t tell you that I knew Ren. I couldn’t risk blowing his cover, Charlotte, I’m sorry.”

She snorted. “Blow his cover? He just testified in the largest kidnapping and drug trafficking trial our town has ever seen. I think his cover is blown.”

Vince sighed. “Up until a week ago, there was no plan for Ren to testify. Michael felt that we had enough evidence without Ren’s testimony. He could stay ‘dead’ and continue his work as an undercover detective.”

“So why did he testify?”

“Ren decided he didn’t want to be in undercover work anymore.” He frowned and stared at the cap in his hands. “To say his supervisors were surprised is an understatement. He’s very good at what he does.”

“Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“I wanted to. Michael and Ren asked me not to. Michael was worried that it would affect how you testified, and Ren thought it would be best to not spring it on you right before your testimony.”

“Bullshit.” Charlotte snapped. “Knowing he was alive and a detective wouldn’t have changed my testimony. I didn’t know who he was when I screwed him in the back of the salon and I would have said as much at the trial.”

Vince winced. “Charlotte, I’m so – “

“Save it, Vince. You’ve already apologized about a million times and I’ve told you repeatedly that it wasn’t your fault. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Besides, thanks to the defense attorney, you and half the goddamn town know just how much I enjoyed the little tryst with Ren.”

She dropped to a chair and dropped her head on to the table. “God, I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life.”

Vince patted her arm gingerly. “It’ll all work out, Charlotte.”

She cocked her head to the right, feeling the coolness of the wood under her burning cheek, and rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah, of course it will. I mean, yeah Helen tells every single person who walks into the salon about what a slut I am and how I screwed a gang member three months after my poor, sick husband died. Oh, and she delights in giving them all the dirty details like how they could hear me moaning and the dryer hitting the wall as we had sex. But I’m sure in the last ten months no one has been calling me the town whore behind my back.”

Vince’s own cheeks were so red with embarrassment that Charlotte would have laughed if she hadn’t been so angry.

“Charlotte, everyone knows that Helen is a mean old gossip. No one believes what she says, and – “

Charlotte laughed bitterly. “Except two days ago I confirmed it under oath, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember. But now that people know Ren wasn’t a criminal, that he was a detective, maybe -”

She threw her hands up in the air. “Well hallelujah! Charlotte Montgomery isn’t a criminal-banging slut, she’s just a slut! Thank you, Vince, my reputation is safe once more.”

Vince’s face crumpled and for one horrifying moment she thought he was going to cry. Her heart twisted in her chest. Vince and his family was the closest thing she had to family since Rick had died, and she was suddenly deeply ashamed of her behaviour. He hadn’t wanted to lie to her and she knew that no matter what she said to him, he would always blame himself for what had happened in the salon that day.

“Vince.” She straightened before reaching across the table and taking his hands, squeezing them firmly. “I’m sorry, Vin. I shouldn’t have said that. I know you couldn’t tell me about Ren and I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. I’m just shocked and embarrassed and – hell, I don’t know - the whole situation is just screwed up.”

He stared miserably at her and she gave him a small smile. “It just means a few more years of therapy that’s all. My therapist will probably send you a fruit basket in thanks.”

His lips twitched a little and she squeezed his hands once more before releasing them. “Vince?”

“Yeah?”

“Ren said you two were friends. Were you?”

Vince nodded. “Yes. I was actually very good friends with Ren’s father. He died when Ren was still in his mid-teens, and Mel and I took him under our wing.”

Charlotte frowned. “How could I have not met him before? Rick and I were at your place plenty of times for barbecues and parties.”

“He moved away before we even met you and Rick. We’ve kept in touch with Ren mostly through email and phone calls. Then he went into undercover work and we lost track of him for a few years.”

“Why would he come back to the town he grew up in to work undercover?” Charlotte asked.

“I don’t think he had much choice. He was trying to bring down Steve’s gang and Steve moved them from Branston to our town about six months ago. It was go with him or blow his cover, I suppose.”

He paused. “Besides, I doubt anyone would recognize Ren. He looks completely different. Hell, I hardly recognized him.” He stared down at his hands for a moment.

“Why did you tell his supervisors that he raped me? You – you were friends with him.” Charlotte’s voice was so low he almost didn’t hear the question.

He looked up at her and this time his eyes were swimming with tears. “Because I thought he did.” He whispered. “He had been undercover for a long time and – and that sometimes changes people. Even good cops – good men – like Ren.”

He wiped at the tears that were starting to slide down his cheeks. “You went back there with him willingly. You played Steve’s sick, awful game to save my life, and in return had to – to...”

He took a deep breath. “I didn’t want Ren to get away with it, even if he was my friend, just because you said you would go back there with him.”

“Oh, Vince.” Charlotte gave him a look of sympathy. “Honey, I know I’ve told you this before but it was consensual. Ren didn’t hurt or force me.”

She gave him a small smile. “You were too busy bleeding to death to pay much attention but hell, just ask Helen. She’ll give you all the dirty details.”

He didn’t laugh at her small joke. “When you woke up and told me it was consensual and how Ren gave you his gun for protection, I thought I was going to vomit. I called Ren’s supervisors immediately and they dropped the charges quickly but Ren was already angry and upset. He hasn’t spoken to me since that day.”

He looked at her miserably. “I’ve fucked everything up so badly, Charlotte. I got myself shot, I nearly got you killed, I accused my friend of rape, and I lied to you. Now both you and Ren hate me and I don’t know how to get either of you to forgive me. I’ve made such a mess of things.”

“I don’t hate you, Vince. And I forgive you for lying to me.” Charlotte replied.

He pulled a worn but clean handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his cheeks before blowing his nose loudly. “I – that means a lot to me, Charlotte.”

She smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand again. “I love you, Vince.”

He blushed a little. “I love you too, Charlotte. Both Mel and I do.”

He stood up. “I should get home to Mel. The defense wrapped up their case today and they did closing arguments. The jury is deliberating. Michael says it won’t be long. He thinks they’ll have their decision by tomorrow and it’ll be guilty. Steve and Jasper, as well as most of his gang, will go to prison for life based on yours and the other girl’s testimonies, and based on the evidence that Ren has collected over the last year.”

“That’s good.” Charlotte walked him to the door and kissed his cheek as he stepped out on to the porch.

“Will you come for a barbeque this weekend?” Vince asked. “Mel is thinking of inviting Michael and a few other people.”

She nodded. “I’ll be there.”