Secret Lover Ch. 04

"You know what Evan, the bitch deserved it!" Jamie yelled jumping up only to double over from the pain of her rash movement.

"What the hell are you talk...? Oh my God, Melanie?" The silence in the room confirmed Evan's fears. He knew Jamie was mean, vindictive even but this ... this was a new level of crazy. "I'm calling the police," Evan said moving towards the phone.

"Go ahead, call them and make sure you tell them about the device I used to find her that you implanted in her car. Not to mention the series of breaking and entering you did, and oh, lest we forget supplying me with Rohypnol to drug my unknowing hubby. You're just as much a part of this as I am Evan, if I go to jail you'll be right there with me," Jamie said a devilish smile enveloped her face as she stared Evan down. Evan held his cordless phone in his hand as Jamie's words settled on him, he slowly placed the phone back on its base. "Thats what I thought," Jamie said placing her feet onto the sofa, "This is just another stage in my plan, now that black Barbie is out of the way I can focus my attention on Cole. Get your camera," Jamie said.

"Why?" Evan replied.

"Because we have work to do and if you want to get paid you'll do what the fuck I say, now about that drink."

****

Cole sat quietly in his office, it was only 9 am and he could already tell that the day was going to drag on. It had been a two weeks since Cole last talked to Melanie he had tried, on twelve separate occasions since he saw her, to slip in and speak to her but each time was told by the nursing staff that they had specific instructions not to let him in, they even went as far as to provide security with his photo. When Cole realized that approach was useless he had Melanie's favorite arrangement of flowers sent to her room. A bouquet a day each with a personalized note, but with Cole not being able to speak to or hear Melanie's voice the depression of how everything had ended set in. Soon his days became filled with work, anytime he didn't spend in the office was spent wallowing in his own self-pity, a glass of whiskey in his hand and old country music playing. He didn't know how he would ever make things right again, it was obvious that nothing he said quelled the anger and hurt inside of her, but he knew she still loved him he just had to make her see he deserved another chance an opportunity to make things right.

*Knock, Knock"

"Come in," Cole said leaning back into his chair. Kandice walked in clutching a stack of folders and made her way to his desk.

"Here are those files you asked for," she said placing them in front of Cole, before turning on her heels to quickly walk away. Cole knew Kandice was trying to avoid him as well, he felt bad trapping her in the middle but knew she was his only source of information.

"Kandice, how's Melanie?" Cole asked, praying she would take pity on him and tell him anything.

"She's fine, but I really shouldn't be telling you anything, Melanie knew you would ask and she told me..."

"She doesn't have to know, I just wanted to be sure that she's alright," Cole replied. Kandice, looked into Cole's eyes and wanted nothing more than to hug him. This whole situation still didn't make sense to her, one moment they were happy and in love, the next Melanie wanted nothing to do with him and was completely barring him from her life. But he was right, she didn't have to know.

"You fucked up royally, you know that, but she misses you I can tell. She would never say it but she does. How could you let things go that far without telling her about your wife?"

"She's not my wife, Melanie is," Cole replied, "I know I should have told her, but I thought if I didn't it would go away. I was so busy being happy that I didn't want my past with Jamie to ruin that and it still did."

"How long had you two been separated?" Kandice asked taking a seat.

"Nearly four years. In between that time we barely ever spoke unless it was her wanting some random booty call. One night she came over to my house said she wanted to hash things out, I remember we were talking I had a few drinks and the next thing I knew I woke up naked and no memory of how I got there."

"Hmm..." Kandice said.

"Hmm what?" Cole replied.

"Well don't you find that a little odd , I mean you're "ex" comes over, wanting to bury the hatchet after being separated for four years and now that you're in a relationship. You pass out and wake up naked and don't hear from her again until the fight?" Cole leaned back in his chair and let his mind process what Kandice said, while he knew the situation was odd he didn't understand what it all meant and how it all connected.

"I guess, but even so this is still my fault, I just have to figure out how I can convince Melanie to give me another chance. Maybe you could play devil's advocate a bit?" Cole said with a smirk.

"I'll see what I can do," she replied with a smile before leaving.

****

Evan, squeezed the bridge of his nose and sighed, before placing his phone on his desk. He stood and moved to the small dark room inside his office, once the door was sealed he pulled the negatives from the solution and hung them watching as they began to form. Jamie had ordered him to take photos of her scrapes and bruises but as usual left him in the dark as to why and secretly he was glad she did, he hoped that the less he knew the less could be associated with his involvement. His earlier fears of her being more trouble than she was worth were slowly becoming real and he was trying to think of the easiest possible way to get out of it. From the other side of the wall he could hear a knock at his door. He exited the dark room and made his way to open it but before he could fully open it, it was pushed the rest of the way and in walked a man dressed in a police uniform. "What the fuck have you gotten yourself into Evan?" Evan instantly recognized the voice, he walked pass his brother Eli and sat at his desk.

"Where do I begin," Evan replied frowning at the grimace etched on his brother's face.

"I got an assignment the other day from my captain wants me to run prints and serial on a tracking device found in the car of a hit and run victim so I do, and whose prints and credit information do I find linked to this bullshit!? But my own baby brother's. Now you tell me and you tell me now why I shouldn't slap these cuffs on you and haul you're ass down to the precinct." Evan grabbed two glasses and a bottle of cognac from the lower drawer of his desk, he poured them both a drink before taking a swig from his, he hated that Eli referred to him as his baby brother they had only been born 5 minutes apart, realizing his mind was wandering he focused on the matter at hand.

"I got my first case in months nearly a year ago, woman comes in here saying her husbands a cheating bastard and she wants to nail him. Pays me out the ass to do all these crazy errands, at first I thought what harm could come of it that was until she showed up at my house bloody and bruised saying she was in an accident. But I know it wasn't, she hit that woman tried to kill her I think. When I told her I was going to call the police she threatened me, said she would play victim and mark me as the ring leader. With me having a hand in damn near everything she's done I didn't see any other option but keep quiet. I know I shouldn't have and I know I'm fucked but I didn't have many options." Evan poured another drink and downed it letting the sting of the strong liquor dull his senses.

"You could have called me Evan, you know that," Eli replied his anger still evident in his voice.

"Oh yeah and said what? Oh big brother come save me from this crazy bitch with a lead foot that's trying to frame me?" Evan scoffed, he knew his brother was worried but hated that he always tried to play hero. While they were twins they differed in so many ways and always seemed to butt heads even when they agreed on something.

"You're going to have to figure out a plan Evan because I can't go back to my captain and tell him I didn't find anything, the best I can do is delay it."

Evan nodded, "I'm supposed to get a call from her soon, maybe by then I can figure out a way out of this mess," he replied.

"You better, you may be a dumb fuck but you're still my brother and I'd hate to see you in a cell block with bastards I've put away." With that, Eli finished off what was left of his drink and left the office.

Evan ran his fingers through his hair and began to think, "I have to get ahead of her somehow, I need insurance."

*****

"That's it Ms. Graham, very good ... that's it nice and slow." Melanie tried, to lift the one pound weight that the physical therapist had given her but could barely get it past her waist. After what seemed like forever she gave up letting it fall to the floor with a thud.

"I can't, it hurts," Melanie said obviously frustrated.

"Of course it does, Ms. Graham that's because you're healing and being able to do all the things you did before isn't going to happen overnight. It can be months or a year before you're at you're full potential, the fact that you're even sitting up after an accident like that is nothing short of amazing but you're still human the sooner you understand that the easier it will be." Melanie's therapist lightly patted her on the shoulder before logging her, ten minute session in his book. "Alright same time Thursday," he said before motioning to the nurse to return her to her room.

Melanie was tired of being carted around in a wheel chair, she wanted to walk on her own. Straight out of the hospital to be exact but she knew that wasn't going to happen. Her parents had become her personal watch dogs, stopping her from doing the simplest task like drinking water or pulling up her covers. On two occasions she had cursed at them saying she could do it her damn self and each time she swiftly apologized. She knew they were only trying to help and that her anger and frustration was not meant for them at all but with them being in close proximity they seemed the easiest targets.

"Here we are." the nurse said backing her into the room and close to her bed, already knowing the routine Melanie lifted her arms, the nurse positioned herself in front of Melanie before lifting her onto the bed. She helped Melanie place her legs underneath the blankets before patting her legs and walking out the door. She wasn't gone two minutes before she returned with another arrangement of flowers. "You got another one," she said taking the bouquet to the sink and filling a vase with water before placing the flowers inside and setting it on the table closest to Melanie's bed.

"Thank you," Melanie replied softly rousing a smile from the nurse before she left the room once more. Melanie turned and looked at the arrangement of brightly colored tulips and orchids, she had to admit that if Cole was one thing he was persistent and inwardly she smiled. Each bouquet she had received was always more lovely then the last and while each came with a note she never read them. Deep down Melanie felt like something was off, but she couldn't tell what. Because of this she clung to her anger she needed it, she knew that the words in those notes were 100% Cole. Words that had a way of washing away doubt and heartache, she wanted to be angry to hate Cole, but with each passing day and each arrangement of flowers she was beginning to miss him more.

"Knock, knock," a voice said as the door opened. Melanie smiled when saw Kandice's face, it had been a few days since she last came by and she was dying for someone to talk to.

"Hey Kandi, how are you?"

"I'm good Mel, how about you. How you holding up?"

"As best can be expected," Melanie replied.

Kandice saw the bouquet of flowers and smiled, "I see Cole's daily present has arrived," she said smelling the flowers before taking the note from the ribbon wrapped around the flowers.

"Yeah obviously he thinks flowers make up for months of lies," Melanie said with a frown.

Kandice read the note, a smirk cradled her lips as she out stretched her hand to give it to Melanie, "Sure you don't want to read it?" Melanie simply shook her head no, before Kandice tossed it in a nearby waste basket. "Do you really think Cole, went this long and proposed for nothing Melanie, I mean yes he wasn't open and honest about being married in the past but it's obvious that this woman isn't a priority in his life if you went months without seeing her or even hearing about her."

"That's not the point Kandice, I trusted him and if he loved me as much as he said he did then he could have told me and saved me the heartbreak."

"I get it, alright Melanie I truly do. But I think you're being really stupid, I mean I'm sorry but from what you told me she pops up flings some photos of them having sex and says she's his wife and you bolt, lord knows how long ago those photos were taken you didn't really let Cole explain."

"What the hell is this a team Cole campaign? I shouldn't have to defend the fact that I was lied to. I've had enough of being measured up to other people to giving myself fully to someone only to have them shit on me in the end," Melanie leaned over and pressed the button for morphine, before laying back against the propped pillows in her bed.

Kandice didn't intend to stress her out, she just wanted Melanie to see reason, her heart went out to them both, she understood both sides and saw fault in each situation but nothing was being resolved if she wouldn't even talk to the man, "Look, I just think you should talk to him. And I don't mean yell I mean really talk, there's a lot of things that need to be resolved and hashed out and even if you want it to be over you will never really get over this if you don't get the full story." Kandice kissed Melanie's cheek and turned to leave. "Just think about it," she said before closing the door behind her.

Melanie could feel the familiar sting of tears as they threatened to spill from her eyes, her gaze slowly moved to the waste basket. She could still see the ivory colored card on top, she eased slowly out of the bed, and grabbed the note before sliding back into it. She opened the card and read the neatly arranged words,

Melanie,

Words can't express how terrible I feel, not only knowing that while I sit here writing this you lay in a bed far away from me but also that I was not honest about my life before I met you. I admit that I didn't tell you and I know that was wrong but I never lied. I hoped that the mistakes I made before would somehow erase themselves but they just came back to haunt me. I want you to know that every moment I spent in your embrace, every time I told you I loved you and the day I got on my knee and asked you to be my wife was all real, I meant every word of it. I don't expect you to forget this, how could you... But I'm praying that you'll forgive me. I love you Melanie, I believe that the real reason I didn't tell you about my life before was because I realized that before you were in it, my life had no true purpose no real happiness. Maybe when you're well we can talk, there's so much to say...

I love you, Cole

Tear drops fell onto the card in Melanie's hand, smudging the ink that covered it. Her mind raced a mile a minute as she tried to think but her mind was clouded, Melanie turned on her side and sighed her eyes closed softly as she drifted to sleep.

*****

"More ... more ... MORE, for Christ sakes are you fucking retarded I look like freaking Liza Minnelli right now give me that," Jamie snatched the blush from the makeup artist and began to apply it herself. After the crash she spent a few days in hiding at Evan's home but as soon as she felt the coast was clear she retreated back to her condo. She knew she couldn't go to the hospital for her injuries they would definitely question where and how she got hurt and she couldn't run that risk. She had Evan snap a few photos of her injuries and phoned her private doctor to look her over, who prescribed her some pain meds and placed her arm in a sling. She had already called Evan to let him know she would meet him at his office with a new list of demands and knew that with what she held over his head he wouldn't have any choice but play nice. From the information she had gotten from the news, Melanie had survived the crash and while the police were looking for the whereabouts of the person driving the other car they hadn't found a single piece of evidence. Jamie inwardly praised herself, she had arranged her plans flawlessly and as usual arose victorious. Sure Cole would be sour about her ending his sham of a relationship, but once she presented him with her bargaining chip he would see reason. Cole will be mine, or suffer like his bitch, she thought smiling at her reflection in the mirror.

***

Evan, arranged the recording equipment, and did one final check before he took a seat behind his desk. Jamie had called a few minutes ago to let him know she was on her way and he wanted to be ready, he had every intention on squeezing as much information out of her as he could. From what his brother had told him he had less than a week before he had no choice but to forward the information he had found to his superiors and even still he was looking at a misdemeanor and at least 12 months in jail. The thought alone made Evan's blood boil, but he knew he was just as much to blame for following along blindly just because she paid well.

Evan looked up from his desk, when Jamie enter without as much as a knock at the door. "Or just let yourself in," Evan said rolling his eyes at Jamie's outfit. She wore a thin flowy blouse that dipped in the middle showing off her birdcage chest and next to non-existent breasts, her skin tight jeans held no appealing shape to Evan and her feet were cradled by a pair of expensive looking stiletto pumps.

"Oh spare me," Jamie said sitting in the chair in front of his desk. Underneath the table, Evan hit play on the recorder before he spoke.

"Did you go to the hospital," Evan asked.

"No I didn't, I have a private doctor. I couldn't just waltz into the hospital looking the way I did, besides that wouldn't have fit in with my plans."

"And what exactly would those plans be, I mean you make it an obvious point to keep me in the dark with all of your illegal activity not to mention using me as a scape goat for it. I think the least you can do is fill me in on what it is you're planning," Evan replied his eyebrow raised.

"First of all I didn't see you complaining on the way to the bank, Melanie fell for those photos with no problem, and Cole doesn't even remember when they were taken thanks to those roofies. And I actually made that decision to take Melanie out on the fly, but now that she's out of the picture my focus is Cole."

"Cole," Evan said, "I thought you wanted to break them up and ruin his name, now you want to focus on Cole?"

"That's what I said, what are you deaf? Cole belongs to me and now that he's not distracted by an easy piece of ass I can take my place back by his side."

Evan looked at Jamie dumbfounded, he had underestimated how bat shit crazy she truly was but was getting a lot of evidence in the process. "What the hell makes you think he would even consider being with you after you single handedly destroyed his relationship and made his life hell?"

"Don't you worry you're sleazy little head about why. I have my ways and as it's already plainly obvious I get my way." Jamie smugly. "Any way, I want those photos you took of me. I'm going to need them in the future, and I need you to do some snooping. I need you to find out which room that whore is in, then I want you to finish her off."

Evan could feel his stomach turn, yet again she had shown new levels of just how insane she was the fact that she could so easily request something like that without even flinching, scared him to very core of his being. "Are you fucking crazy Jamie, I'm not going to kill that girl, tracking and photos are one thing but what you're talking about is murder over some petty fucking jealousy."