Chapter Twenty-Nine

 

It was well into the evening before Jack’s case was called before the judge. When he entered the courtroom, he walked with straight shoulders and no expression on his face. Deep inside, anger roiled in his gut. He clenched his teeth so hard, his jaw hurt. But he refused to show any emotion.

Humiliation hovered in the background. If he let it take hold, he’d be useless. He needed to focus on the anger instead.

He sat on a bench. The stench of the guy sitting next to him was enough to make him gag. The guy on the other side kept shaking like he was coming off a drug high. Jack ignored them both.

He allowed himself one glance at the gallery of spectators. Neither his parents nor Gemma was there, but he spotted T.J., Carmichael and O’Hara. His gaze swept across the three of them, met T.J.’s, held, and then Jack looked away. But for that second of contact, he knew he wasn’t alone. The muscles in his shoulders unclenched.

When his name was called, he joined his lawyer at the defense table.

He didn’t bother to talk. He knew the drill and his lawyer had briefed him on what to do and not do.

“Mr. Donahue,” the judge said, peering down from the bench, “how do you plead.”

“Not guilty, Your Honor.”

The judge had the court stenographer enter the plea into the record. Then came the discussion about bail. Jack gritted his teeth as he listened to the prosecutor, a man he’d worked with for years, claim that he was a risk to the state. His lawyer fought back hard, but then Penny had always been ready to defend the underdog, even when she’d been in braids and sporting skinned knees.

Though her practice was recent, she’d already started making a name for herself. He hadn’t been sure if she’d take his case, but when he’d told his story, she’d believed him.

Hell, he wouldn’t believe in him if he heard the evidence. If the photos weren’t doctored, then he had a lookalike out there. He needed to get bail so that he could find the dirtbag and clear his name.

It seemed to take forever for bail to be set and when it was he breathed a sigh of relief that the judge had set an amount within his means. He quickly took care of the paperwork, and after making an appointment to meet with Penny to discuss the case, walked out of the courthouse.

Night had descended upon the city and it smelled clean and fresh. He felt like he’d stepped in the muck and couldn’t wait to get home and rid himself of the stink of jail.

He’d reached the bottom of the courthouse steps when he heard his name called.

“Jack, hold up!” T.J.’s voice came from above him.

He turned and saw T.J. standing on the top of the steps, his phone pressed to his ear. T.J. ended the call, and jogged down the steps until he stood on the sidewalk next to Jack.

“We’ve got a problem,” T.J. said. “It’s Gemma.”

His stomach dipped. “What happened?”

He could easily conjure up all kinds of scenarios. Trouble had a way of finding Gemma. He forced his mind to settle and listened to what T.J. had to say.

“She left a message on my voice mail,” T.J. said. “She’s on her way to the Pink Kitty. She got a tip that your doppelganger is there.”

“Hell,” Jack swore, even as he began jogging towards the parking garage. “You drive.”

Ten minutes later they were on the road with the sirens flashing. As he was currently on suspension, T.J. was probably breaking all kinds of departmental regulations by having him in the car.

Jack didn’t care.

“What exactly did she say?” he asked.

T.J. swerved around a slower moving vehicle and smoothly slid into a spot in front of it. “Not as much as I would have liked. She said she was on her way to the Pink Kitty. She had a tip your double was there. That’s it.”

Jack punched his fist against his thigh. “Damn it.”

T.J. looked at him quickly and then switched his gaze back to the road. “She would’ve made a helluva cop.”

“I know. But the bottom line is she isn’t. She’s a reporter with a nose that lands her in one mess after another.”

“Dude, that’s harsh. She’s doing her job, just like you and I do ours.”

“You mean you. I,” Jack thumped his chest, “don’t have a job.”

T.J. snorted. “Thanks to your girlfriend, you’re likely to get that job back.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he said, but even he knew the conviction wasn’t there.

T.J. expertly took a corner and then spoke. “What is she? You’d better decide soon or you’re going to lose her.”

He knew that. T.J. didn’t have to spell it out for him. But now wasn’t the time to think about it. “Just drive and keep the commentary to yourself.”

“Touchy, aren’t we?” T.J. obligingly shut up, and five minutes later, he pulled the car into a parking space about a block down from the Pink Kitty.

Jack got out, cursing the fact that he didn’t have his weapon anymore. If things got shaky, he had no way to back up his partner. “Are you carrying a spare?”

“Yeah.” T.J. reached down and shoved up his jeans to reveal a small ankle holster. He passed the weapon to Jack.

Inside the entrance of the strip bar they ran into the big bouncer who’d manned the place the last time. He saw Jack and his mouth dropped open. “How’d you get out here? Girlie’s inside looking for you.”

“Yeah, well, girlie found me, so don’t bother to announce us.”

***

Gemma sat at the bar and nursed her drink. He was here! She wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t seen him. Actually, this was the second time she’d seen him. But the first time, she’d really thought he was Jack.

He looked like Jack, enough to be mistaken for him. She could easily see why people would think the man in that grainy photograph was Jack. From a distance, he had the same build and profile. Surely, the resemblance ended once you saw him up close. The idea of having a doppelganger of yourself walking around without you knowing about it was kind of freaky.

It’d be a great story if so much weren’t riding on the outcome.

The question was, did the man know of the similarity and was he taking advantage of it, or was he as clueless as Jack had been.

Gemma grew antsy as the time passed. T.J. hadn’t contacted her. The man at the table got up and she stiffened. What if he left?

Her word wouldn’t be enough. They needed this man to prove Jack’s innocence and get the charges dropped.

She kept her back to the room and her head down, but she snuck peeks of the man in the mirror that hung behind the bar. The man walked past her and headed for the hallway that led to the bathrooms, the dressing room and the back exit.

She couldn’t take the chance that he might slip away. She slid off the stool and followed. When she opened the hallway door, she saw the hallway was empty. She hurried through the opening and paused. He could be in the men’s bathroom.

She crept down the narrow corridor, trying not to make much noise. In the background, she heard the hoots and whistles of the audience as the act ended. Down the hall, the sound of women talking reached her ears. She doubted the man had entered the dressing room.

Gemma walked to the end of the hallway and opened the door that led to the alleyway.

She stepped outside. A hand snaked around her neck and dragged her away from the doorway and into the shadows.

The hold on her throat choked her, cutting off any chance she had to scream. She reached up with both hands and tried to dislodge her attacker’s grip.

“Don’t move,” a voice raspy from too many cigarettes said. Then the sharp tip of a knife touched her neck and she froze.

“Good girl. You learn fast.” His breath felt warm against her ear. “Why are you following me?”

She tugged at the arm wrapped around her neck and he loosened his grip enough that she could take in some of the night air. Her chest heaved with the need to breathe. “I wasn’t following you.”

“Don’t lie to me.” He sounded angry and she felt the sting of the blade nicking her skin.

“I’m not lying. I wasn’t exactly following you. I wanted to talk to you. I thought you were someone I know, but I’m certain you aren’t him now.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

It sounded lame even to her ears, but it actually was close to the truth. “Do you know your family roots?”

“Lady, you’re crazy.”

Maybe, but at least he had moved the blade away from her neck. Clearly, he wasn’t sure what to think.

“Your father’s last name was Donahue, wasn’t it? Did you know he had a twin brother?”

This time he released his grip, but only so he could spin her around and pin her up against the back wall of the club. Up close, even in the dim lighting from the street lamp, she saw the similarities and differences.

This guy, Jack’s cousin once or twice removed, looked ten years older than Jack. The family resemblance was strong, but there was a weakness about the chin that Jack didn’t have. And this guy showed signs of having lived a hard life, from the lines marking his forehead to the slight puffiness beneath his eyes.

“Who the hell are you?”

Gemma didn’t bother answering him. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“What if you are?” the man challenged.

“What’s your name?” Gemma asked.

The man shook his head. “You don’t get to ask any questions until I get mine answered. And, you’d better answer satisfactorily or my friend here will make his point again.” He raised the knife and she pressed back against the wall.

Gemma lifted her chin, determined not to show fear. How she could have mistaken this sad imitation to the real thing, she had no idea.

“My name’s Gemma.” She didn’t offer more. He would have to drag information out of her. The longer it took, the more likely T.J. would find them.

“Don’t stop there. Who are you and why do you know so much about my family?” He appeared nervous and his eyes continuously darted towards the entrance to the alley and the backdoor of the club.

She pegged him as someone who would fight if backed into a corner, but otherwise he probably ran when the going got tough.

“I know so much about your family because I made it my business to know. Your father had a twin brother. The two of them had a major falling out when your father tried to rape his twin’s fiancée. After that, your father left town and all references and photos of him were erased from the family memory as if he had never existed.”

The man laughed, a harsh sound that made her shiver. “Oh, he existed all right and he never forgot. The old man hated his brother. He talked about him all the time. He even married my mother because she looked like the girl his twin brother married. She was fifteen years younger than him. He used to slap her around and tell her she wasn’t as pretty as the real thing.” He brought his face up close and she cringed. “Mom left when I was ten. Then Dad punched me instead.”

Gemma swallowed. “It must’ve been tough.”

“You have no idea,” the man bit out. “But I’m not about to bring up old memories. Why the hell are you interested in my family? I want the truth.”

She wasn’t sure how much danger she was in. She sensed he was close to the edge, but whether it would lead to violence or a need to escape, she couldn’t gauge. His eyes continued to dart left and right and a trickle of sweat rolled down his temple.

“What’s your name?” Gemma asked softly. “It isn’t Jack, is it?”

She’d confused him she saw. His knife hand lowered and she breathed a smidgeon of relief.

“It’s Gary Jr. I was named after the old bastard.” His tone was a combination of belligerence and anger.

“You have a cousin named Bill. You look a lot like Bill’s son Jack. Did you know that?” She kept her tone steady and calm. She didn’t know what might set him off. Her goal was to get out of this mess in one piece.

Gary Jr. stepped back. Her muscles slowly uncramped, but as long as he held the knife she couldn’t relax her vigilance.

“Lady, what do you want?”

“Ah, well, that’s a bit complicated and I don’t think you’re going to like it.” She watched warily to see what he did with the knife at her words.

He took another step away from her and shook his head. “You know what? I don’t want to hear it. I’m out of here.”

Gemma moved forward, her hand out. “You can’t!”

The knife came up, halting her. At the same time the back door opened and they both turned towards the sound.

“Drop the weapon!”

Jack’s voice brought a rush of pleasure and relief. The situation didn’t seem quite as desperate as it had about five minutes ago when she hadn’t known whether Gary would use the knife to make his point. Already she saw Gary’s hand lowering.

Gary dropped the weapon, slowly raising his hands, only to suddenly pivot and take off running down the alley. He made it a few feet before he came to an abrupt stop.

“Get down on your knees. Hands on your head. Do it now!” T.J.’s commanding voice filled the alley.

Gary’s shoulders slumped. He dropped to his knees and placed his hands on his head. Jack came up to stand beside her, his gun still trained on Gary.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Better now that the cavalry has arrived.” She watched as T.J. holstered his weapon, took out a pair of zip ties and approached Gary. Once he had the zip ties on, he assisted Gary to his feet and pulled out his phone.

While T.J. called in to request a patrol car, Jack put away his weapon. He turned towards her, a scowl on his face. “What do you think you were doing? You could have been seriously hurt. Wasn’t going up against the Wedding Veil Killer enough for you?” He paced in front of her, short bursts of energy that spoke of agitation and anger. “Do you have a death wish or something?”

His rage blasted over her, rendering her speechless.

He stalked towards her, closing the few feet between them. “I can’t believe you would risk yourself again. Do you think of anything besides the damned story?” He shoved a hand in his hair, making it stand on end. “What would Dana and Sylvie have done if something had happened to you? And when are you going to put your family first instead of chasing after the next headline?”

“Donahue, back off!” T.J.’s voice cut like a whip.

Jack swore and turned away. He strode over to Gary and Gemma saw his eyes widen as he took in the other man’s features. The familial resemblance between the two was pronounced. Yet, where Jack exuded vitality and strength, Gary seemed pathetic and weak.

But even as she contemplated the likeness between the men, Jack’s words rang in her ears.

She’d done it for him. Didn’t he realize that?

Her fingers curled at her side. She felt like she’d been tossed into a roiling sea like a piece of driftwood.

She accepted that he was angry with her, and if she thought about it, she couldn’t dismiss his reasons easily. Gary had put a knife to her throat. If he’d been more violent, things might have ended quite differently. She could be lying on the street, her throat cut.

If something happened to her, what would happen to Dana? Her niece had lost so much in her short lifetime. Gemma didn’t have a right to risk herself, potentially depriving Dana once again of a parent figure.

Her stomach twisted and cramped the more she thought about it.

Two police cars with lights flashing parked at the end of the alley. Two officers climbed out of each vehicle and approached them. T.J. pulled out his badge and identified himself. While one officer took control of the prisoner, the other conferred with T.J.

Jack moved back into the shadows, his gaze on the prisoner. Gemma took a step forward, wanting to comfort him or maybe she wanted his comfort. She wasn’t sure, but then she hesitated. He had his arms crossed over his chest and the hard look to his jaw didn’t exactly scream comfort. And then he stepped out of the shadows to follow the police officer who was leading Gary to the car. He caught up to the officer and spoke, but she was too far away to hear what he said.

The next thing she knew, Jack was climbing into the front seat of the patrol car where Gary sat, handcuffed in the back.

T.J. finished speaking to the other officer and then strode towards her. He stopped in front of her. “You scared him. He needs time to cool off.”

Gemma nodded, though she felt like a vast yawning crevice had opened up inside of her. She stood on the brink of being swallowed up by the emptiness and was surprised by the pain she felt at being alone. She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat, but didn’t say anything. What was there to say?

Tears pricked at her eyelids, but she refused to let them fall. She’d done the right thing and Jack would eventually realize that. He was free. The specter of a trial and jail would no longer hang over his head.

Even so, she couldn’t shake the fear that he’d use it as another excuse to push her away.