where I was, unaware he’d been caught; he’d been found out. I can just imagine his disbelief when he realizes what I’ve discovered. He’ll be so angry. He’ll be beside himself. He’ll look for me. He’ll want to explain, no, he’ll want to distract me from the truth. He’ll want to make excuses. He’ll want me back.
He won’t get a chance. He ruined everything.
I had to be strong. He knows me better than anyone. He knows I’m weak. He knows if he tries hard enough he can get what he wants from me. He knows. He’s always known. Is that why he picked me? Is that why he got away with it for so long? Because my eyes weren’t open? Because I didn’t ask questions?
I took a deep breath, wiping the tears off my cheeks. The storm was nearly at my doorstep.
2006 - Callem
I hadn’t thought about her in the three months, not since we’d last seen each other for that quick bite to eat. There hadn’t been any other reason to see each other, not until my phone rang. “Callem Tate,” I answered.
“Callem, hello,” a sweet voice cooed on the other end. It took me a second to realize who I was talking to. “It’s Olivia Reinbeck, how are you?”
“Dr. Reinbeck, uh, Olivia, I’m doing well, thank you. And yourself? It’s been awhile.”
“I’m doing great and yes, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Have I caught you at a bad time?”
“No, not at all.” If she had called me a half hour earlier, it would have been a bad time. I just dropped off a client at the airport and was heading back to the office. “To what do I owe this call?”
“Well, I’m calling about business. You see, I was asked to step in for one of my colleagues for a conference going on in Chicago. I’ve never been to Chicago, not that I’m incapable of going on my own, but I thought it’d be easier to have an escort, you know, reliable transportation to get me to and from the conference and the hotel and the airport. It’s probably too short of notice to ask for your assistance, but I thought I’d try. You’d mentioned you had a lot of other men working for you so I didn’t know if there was someone available.”
“Oh, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem. When’s the trip?”
“This weekend, just for the weekend. I fly out of LAX on Friday morning and then back Monday.”
I smiled. “Well, today’s your lucky day. I’m going to be in Chicago this week working out of our office there. I’d be more than happy to pencil you in while I’m there.” I lied. I had no such arrangements to go to Chicago, but she’d just given me a great excuse to check on the boys over there. “Do you have an itinerary you could send my way so I have an idea of your schedule and how much transportation you’ll need?”
“Absolutely. The office is expensing your services so I can send you the billing information as well.”
“That’d be fine. Do you have my email?”
“Um, yes, I see it’s here on your card.” She kept my card.
“Great. Just send me the addresses and your schedule and I’ll confirm pick-up at the airport Thursday night. Are you traveling alone or is another colleague going with you?”
“I’ll be alone for this trip. I really appreciate you squeezing me in on such short notice. I would have called earlier, but I just found out about it last night and was kind of scrambling to make all the arrangements.”
“That’s not a problem. It happens more than you think. You have to be flexible in this industry.”
“Great. Well, I’ll send everything your way and I look forward to hearing from you on Thursday.”
“Sounds good.”
As soon as I hung up with Olivia, I called Red. “Hey it’s me. Look, I've got a change of plans. I’m going to Chicago tomorrow. I’m taking one of the jets and I won’t be back until next week.”
“Why, what’s going on?” Red asked
He won’t get a chance. He ruined everything.
I had to be strong. He knows me better than anyone. He knows I’m weak. He knows if he tries hard enough he can get what he wants from me. He knows. He’s always known. Is that why he picked me? Is that why he got away with it for so long? Because my eyes weren’t open? Because I didn’t ask questions?
I took a deep breath, wiping the tears off my cheeks. The storm was nearly at my doorstep.
2006 - Callem
I hadn’t thought about her in the three months, not since we’d last seen each other for that quick bite to eat. There hadn’t been any other reason to see each other, not until my phone rang. “Callem Tate,” I answered.
“Callem, hello,” a sweet voice cooed on the other end. It took me a second to realize who I was talking to. “It’s Olivia Reinbeck, how are you?”
“Dr. Reinbeck, uh, Olivia, I’m doing well, thank you. And yourself? It’s been awhile.”
“I’m doing great and yes, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Have I caught you at a bad time?”
“No, not at all.” If she had called me a half hour earlier, it would have been a bad time. I just dropped off a client at the airport and was heading back to the office. “To what do I owe this call?”
“Well, I’m calling about business. You see, I was asked to step in for one of my colleagues for a conference going on in Chicago. I’ve never been to Chicago, not that I’m incapable of going on my own, but I thought it’d be easier to have an escort, you know, reliable transportation to get me to and from the conference and the hotel and the airport. It’s probably too short of notice to ask for your assistance, but I thought I’d try. You’d mentioned you had a lot of other men working for you so I didn’t know if there was someone available.”
“Oh, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem. When’s the trip?”
“This weekend, just for the weekend. I fly out of LAX on Friday morning and then back Monday.”
I smiled. “Well, today’s your lucky day. I’m going to be in Chicago this week working out of our office there. I’d be more than happy to pencil you in while I’m there.” I lied. I had no such arrangements to go to Chicago, but she’d just given me a great excuse to check on the boys over there. “Do you have an itinerary you could send my way so I have an idea of your schedule and how much transportation you’ll need?”
“Absolutely. The office is expensing your services so I can send you the billing information as well.”
“That’d be fine. Do you have my email?”
“Um, yes, I see it’s here on your card.” She kept my card.
“Great. Just send me the addresses and your schedule and I’ll confirm pick-up at the airport Thursday night. Are you traveling alone or is another colleague going with you?”
“I’ll be alone for this trip. I really appreciate you squeezing me in on such short notice. I would have called earlier, but I just found out about it last night and was kind of scrambling to make all the arrangements.”
“That’s not a problem. It happens more than you think. You have to be flexible in this industry.”
“Great. Well, I’ll send everything your way and I look forward to hearing from you on Thursday.”
“Sounds good.”
As soon as I hung up with Olivia, I called Red. “Hey it’s me. Look, I've got a change of plans. I’m going to Chicago tomorrow. I’m taking one of the jets and I won’t be back until next week.”
“Why, what’s going on?” Red asked
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