On the Other Side(85)

Constance was at the library again and Damita found that with each passing day the mysterious stranger got closer and closer to her, especially when Constance wasn’t around. Damita hadn’t told Constance that she had a gun because she knew that she wouldn’t like knowing there was a gun in her house. Damita looked toward the window and she saw him standing directly outside. Just as quickly as she saw him out the window, she prepared herself to go and ask him who he was and what he wanted. She didn’t need to. Suddenly, he was inside the apartment.

Damita frowned. “How did you get in here?” she asked.

He seemed devoid of emotion. “That’s not important. You don’t have much time. You must be prepared for what’s to come. It’s all part of your destiny. Follow the path laid out for you and you will find your peace.”

“What destiny? What path? What are you talking about? None of what you’re saying makes any sense.”

Damita was holding the gun in her hand prepared to use it. She had first thought he was her greatest threat, but now she wasn’t quite so sure. There was something else going on here that she didn’t quite understand.

While Damita was trying to make sense of what she had seen and heard, Constance was leaving the library. Someone was following her as well. It was Jack Somersby and this time he was intent on making his presence known. What he didn’t know is that Constance already knew he was there. She turned around and confronted him.

“What do you want, Jack?”

“My beautiful bride, I want what I’ve always wanted. I want you, of course.”

“That ship has sailed. I’m done with being bruised, afraid and helpless. You will never hurt me again. I was young when you married me. I thought you were such a handsome and distinguished gentleman. How was I to know that it takes more than clothes and a tiny bit of wisdom to make the man?

“I’m going to walk away from you and you will never contact me again. Otherwise, I’ll take matters into my own hands. You’re very old, Jack; even older than when we first met. This time it’ll be me chasing you and you won’t be running near as quickly as before. Do you understand me? It would mean nothing to me to end you right now. I hate you more than anything or anyone I’ve ever known. I am going to bury my brother and you will stay away from me or I will use every resource available from police, to simply killing you myself, to get you out of my life. I’m finally going to live.”

“Don’t you want to know how I found you?”

“Not really.”

“I think you do. The information I have could save your friend’s life.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Recently, I was contacted by a man who said he had tracked down his wife. He told me she had tried to kill him two years ago. He was intent on doing her harm and seemed to think that I would be the perfect man to assist him toward that end. He believed the two of us had a lot in common and that we could help one another.”

“Which one of you killed my brother?” Constance asked.

“It wasn’t me, so I assume it must have been Neal Westman.”

“So he is alive? I tried to tell Damita but she was so convinced she had killed him. I have to warn her.”

Constance tried her best to get to Damita and it seemed as though every effort made was impeded by something or someone. Finally, she realized she would have to call Damita and let her know. Her cell phone was dead so she looked for a payphone. Just as she was about to give up on finding a quarter, a man appeared out of nowhere with one in hand.

“Is this what you need?” the man asked.





CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT


Damita went back to Lester’s place, since the crime scene tape had been removed. She wasn’t there five minutes when the phone rang.

“Damita, you’ve got to get out of there. Neal is not dead.”

“Huh, Constance? I didn’t hear you. What did you say?”

The phone went dead.

While Damita stared at the phone, wondering what happened, out of the shadows stepped the same man she believed she had killed. Neal Westman was very much alive.

“Did you really think you could get away from me that easily?”

Damita was in shock. “How? Why? Was it you? Were you the one that sent the notes?”

Neal laughed. It was that same laugh she heard the day she thought she killed him.

He looked around the apartment, smiling. She couldn’t believe this was a man she had ever loved. Standing in front of her now, she saw him for all that he was and all that he had ever been. The pompous demeanor, the posturing; it was Neal through and through.

“Nice digs, but definitely a step down from our Upper West Side condo. I sold it, you know? I couldn’t stand living there after you left. Everything in it reminded me of you. You can stop looking at me like I’m a ghost. I’m not. I almost was, but not quite. I don’t remember much. I was told that I was in a coma for almost a year. You really did a number on me. Things are still kind of fuzzy. However, I do remember an iron and a lot of blood.”