The Victorious Redemption Complete Series Boxed Set, page 82
“You have to be careful of what you feed your mind,” Jasmine continued. “You can’t play those games. ‘What if things had been different?’ ‘What if I hadn’t been so blind?’ ‘What if I had acted sooner?’ Only one thing can come from that, and that is regret. All that you can do is to be present in the moment, learn from your former mistakes, understand that you were different and that with each second that passes, we’re learning and leaving our less-informed versions of ourselves behind us. Sometimes we ignored our better sense. Other times we did what we knew to be wrong, but that doesn’t matter now. To live in the past, and to wonder and wonder, is only to curse yourself to a living death.”
Lou chuckled softly.
Jasmine was taken aback. “Funny?”
“Ironic,” Lou clarified. “To speak so profoundly and then to drop the c-word.”
Jasmine cocked an eyebrow. Only one c-word sprang to mind.
“Curse,” Lou specified.
A loud laugh escaped Jasmine before she could catch it. It was almost jarring, the sense of profundity that slipped straight into humor. She grinned at Lou, thinking maybe she could have worse company in the car.
“Ultimately, regardless of whatever happened in the past, it happened. All we can do is learn from it and move on.”
Lou nodded thoughtfully. “That’s beautiful. And maybe that’s the right opinion for you, but for me…” His eyes darkened. “It’s different when kids are involved. They’re your world. You’re their protectors. You should never be put in a situation in which you can hurt them. They look up to you for everything, and now I have to accept that this is a memory Evan will likely never forget.” He sighed. “Being a parent isn’t just one test that you pass or fail. It’s a test that you have to keep taking over and over and over again, which means you’ve got to assess, you know? You’ve got to be better. You’ve got to do right in the moments, see the future, look ahead so that you can give them a better chance.”
Jasmine considered this. Lou was right—she didn’t have children of her own. She couldn’t see things through his lens. She could only imagine. Still, it didn’t quite add up in her mind. “Better chance for what?”
“At a brighter future. That you’re adding to their quality of life, not taking it all away. I failed Evan this week. I failed him hard. A father is supposed to add to their life. To add. I didn’t do that. I didn’t protect. I only removed.” He cast his gaze to his lap, eyes shimmering.
Jasmine placed a hand on his knee, surprising them both. “You know what you’re asking of yourself is impossible, don’t you? A person could go crazy doing that.”
Lou offered a wry smile, meeting her gaze. “Oh, no doubt. But when it comes to your kids—when it comes to your own flesh and blood—you’ll do it. A father would do all sorts of things you’d think you’d never do, all for the sake of your kids.”
Now Jasmine’s eyes darkened. She nodded and removed her hand, thoughts turning to the road as Lou’s words rang in her ears. What he was talking about was a father figure that she had never known. Her own father had left years ago and had remained elusive for most of her formative years. Her father played with the necromantic arts, and she was almost certain he played a hand in her rebirth.
In her mind, she combed over the information, wondering what the bigger picture was. Was her father serving her from afar, privy to information no one else had access to? Was there a method to this madness? If Lou was right, and fathers did things that you’d never think of having to do to protect your children, was that the reason he had kept so distant? To protect Jasmine?
It was a possibility, though she remained unconvinced. In her brief exchanges with her father through the years, he had always been kind and shown an inkling of love for her. That wasn’t enough for a solid deduction, though, something she knew from her investigative career.
Jasmine glanced at Lou, amused that the doll now rested in his open palm. He propped his elbow on the windowsill and rested his head on his hand as the world blurred past.
Despite his dodgy dealings, Jasmine had no doubt that Lou was a great father. It brought a pang of jealousy to Jasmine’s stomach. She glanced at her cell phone and saw only two hours remained of their journey. She pressed down harder on the accelerator.
Given the lack of paternal care she had received over the years, she found a hidden motivation for their journey now. She wouldn’t deprive the world of an amazing father for one more second than was necessary. Lou would be reunited with Evan, and the pair would put this ordeal behind them.
Jasmine signaled into the outer lane, overtaking a beat-up red sedan that had been in front of them for the last ten minutes.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jasmine’s cell phone buzzed for the fourth time.
She glanced sideways at Lou. His eyes were drooping as he lost his fight to stay awake. They were making good time, but Jasmine felt something was wrong. She could only see the name of the person messaging her appear in the little bubble notification on her phone: Eli. The person who was currently at the top of her priority list.
She glanced at a sign as they approached it. Route 91 had been good to them, and the 95 had been even better. They would soon be out of Connecticut. She double-checked their time and made the decision. A gas stop wasn’t needed for some time, but what was the harm in hitting an early one?
She took the off-ramp as they approached the town of Norwalk, navigating the winding roads until she came to the first gas station she could find.
A small queue of cars waited patiently for their turn on the pumps. The engine rumbled as Jasmine inched her way forward, Lou rocking gently, chin on his chest.
Another message from Eli flashed on the screen.
Shit, Jasmine thought. She was reaching for the phone when Lou suddenly jerked awake, looking around in a blurry stupor.
“Are we there?” He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles.
“Not quite, Sleeping Beauty. Just need to top up some gas.”
Lou frowned. He glanced at the reading on the SUV. “Okay?”
“It’ll be quick,” Jasmine reassured him, inching forward again. “Besides, we can use some snacks and drinks. I’m parched.”
Lou nodded sleepily. “And some pepper.”
Jasmine grinned, impressed that Lou remembered her dietary requirements. “And some pepper.”
“Doesn’t all that mess with your stomach?” Lou asked.
Jasmine had once considered this, wondering what damage this poor nutrition would do to her body. Her conclusion had been simple. If it was that bad, she’d be dead—actually lying in a grave—or suffering by now. As it was, her body seemed to heal itself even from a diet that would have wiped out most humans by now.
“Don’t you worry about me,” Jasmine replied. “I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”
Lou snickered. “Whatever you need to do.”
Their turn at the pumps arrived, and Jasmine pulled up beside them. She filled the SUV, keeping a keen eye on the other people around the gas station. Although she was miles from home, she always exercised a healthy level of caution on the off chance something might occur. She saw an old woman with a blue rinse and thick glasses, eyes concentrating on her meter. A couple of executive types, a man in a pristine suit and a woman in a pencil skirt, exchanged a glance that spoke of infidelity. Nearby, a large trucker in a deerstalker filled the gas tank of a car that was more rust than paint.
When the tank was full, Jasmine leaned on the open window Lou had wound down. “I won’t be a second.”
Jasmine headed into the gas station, and a man with a kind face held the door open for her. She aimed for the back of the store, moving out of Lou’s sight so she could read the messages without raising alarm.
There were seven of them now. In the light of the refrigerators, Jasmine scrolled through. Each message was a plea for Jasmine to call him as soon as she could. She backed out of her messages and called Eli.
After a number of rings, the call moved to voicemail.
“Shit.” Jasmine glanced up and saw the gas station attendant staring intently at her. She held up her phone with an apologetic laugh, trying to dissuade any notion that she may be acting strange because she was stealing.
The attendant was distracted by a customer.
Jasmine tried the number again. Relief flooded over her when Eli’s voice rang through the speaker.
“Eli? Oh, thank God. Sorry I missed your messages. I’ve been driving—”
“Pelham has been compromised,” Eli interrupted her. “I repeat, Pelham has been compromised.”
“Slow down. What do you mean Pelham has been compromised?”
Eli sounded breathless on the other end of the phone, with a hint of fear in his voice. It was something Jasmine didn’t expect from Eli, the man who could shapeshift into almost anything he chose.
“Your father found me,” Eli explained. “He sent one of his goons to come out and get me. Some huge, freaky bastard with claws and teeth and… I’ve never seen anything like it, Jasmine. I was lucky to get away without sustaining many injuries.”
Jasmine closed her eyes. “This freaky guy, did he have gray skin? Kinda waxy looking?”
Eli paused on the other end of the phone.
“Eli?” Jasmine pressed.
“Sorry, I thought I heard something. Yes, that’s exactly the guy. You know him?
“Sounds like someone I once met,” Jasmine replied. She battled with her mixed feelings about what had happened. If this guy was who Jasmine thought he was, it looked as though Mr. Hughes had finally found her father. Not only that but he was being employed as a “goon” on her father’s behalf. She couldn’t fathom what the hell was going on, but time was pressing in on them.
“Jasmine?” It was Eli’s turn to press Jasmine.
“Sorry,” she answered. “So, if Pelham is compromised, where am I meeting you? Give me a location.” She gritted her teeth. “I swear, if it’s anywhere other than New York, we’re going to have a problem. The effort I’ve had to go through to get where I am…”
“I know a place,” Eli stated. “A long-lost friend of mine. She should be able to hole me up until the heat dies down.”
“A friend?” Jasmine asked.
“Don’t worry,” Eli replied. “She’s in the trade. Should be able to help deal with this shit.” He sighed. “Oh, Jasmine. We’re in a fucking mess, I can tell you. How soon can you get here?”
Jasmine frowned. “Give me an address, and I may be able to tell you.”
Eli chuckled, then apologized. He messaged Jasmine the address of his associate, and Jasmine started laughing. The address Eli gave her was the very same address she was delivering Lou to.
The attendant threw a glance her way.
“What’s so funny?” Eli asked. “I gave you an address, not a knock-knock joke.”
“Sorry, Eli. I’ll explain later.”
“How soon can you get here?” he asked.
“Much sooner now.” She looked at the clock on the wall. “I think I’m about an hour or two out. Can you last that long without me?”
“I’ve lasted this long,” Eli shot back, though there was a vulnerability in his voice. Jasmine didn’t like the suggestion of uncertainty.
They said goodbye, and Jasmine pocketed her phone. She grabbed a couple of candy bars from the shelves, as well as bottles of water. The attendant eyed her suspiciously as she handed over the items. He pointed at her pants pocket. “You think you’re clever?”
Jasmine raised an eyebrow and looked down to see a bulge in her pocket. She reached in and withdrew the bereginya doll. She let out a soft chuckle, unsure at what point she had grabbed the doll and put it in her pocket. She had no memory of placing it in there.
The attendant grumbled.
Jasmine held up the doll, then motioned to the rest of the store. “If you can find another one of these in your store, then maybe I can believe that you think I’m shoplifting.” She waggled it before him. “It’s a comfort thing. I never go anywhere without it.”
The attendant asked for money, and Jasmine paid with cash. She laughed as she placed the bereginya back in her pocket.
A sudden realization dawned on her. If I’m in here with the doll, then Lou is unprotected…
As if to confirm her fears, there came an explosion of noise from outside the store. Metal crashed into metal, glass tinkled, and the endless blare of a horn screamed.
Jasmine looked through the window, shocked to see the back of her car was a crumpled mess. The small hatchback that had rammed into the back looked as though it were French-kissing the trunk, and the driver inside was frozen in wonder as blood dripped from his forehead and smoke rose from the engine.
Jasmine darted outside. The man in the hatchback turned to face her, but Jasmine dashed toward Lou. She ripped open the door and threw the bereginya into Lou’s lap as he stared at her unblinkingly, hands shaking in front of him. His skin had turned a sickly white, and it was clear his neck was in pain.
“Jasmine…I…” he started.
Jasmine barked at him. “Wait here. Do not let that thing go.”
Lou looked in wonder at the doll in his lap.
Jasmine moved around to the back of the car. The tire on her driver’s side had burst, and the back axle looked warped and unusable. She gave a small wave to the driver. Smoke poured from somewhere deep inside his car, and she struggled to pop the mess that the hood had become so she could reach the internal mechanisms. Once she got it open, she couldn’t see any flames. She wondered if bringing the doll back to Lou had prevented further chaos. She hated to think what might happen if the cars had been set on fire in the middle of a gas station.
The driver stepped from his car. His hands were on his lower back, and his face was set in a grimace. “How did you…”
Jasmine couldn’t understand what he was talking about until she looked back at the hood. A normal human wouldn’t have been able to open the crumpled hood, but with her strength, it hadn’t been a problem.
“Adrenaline,” Jasmine answered. “Are you okay?”
The man shook his head. Blood ran down his nose. “Not really. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened. I put my foot down on the brake, but there was nothing…I guess I panicked, and my foot found the accelerator and…” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m just sorry…I’ll call the insurance guys and get things sorted.”
“What’s going on back there?” Lou called from the open passenger door. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s all right, Lou. You can come out,” Jasmine replied.
Lou got out of the car. “That’s the first time you’ve said that to me. Nice not to hear ‘stay in the car, Lou.’” He nodded to the driver near Jasmine. “Should’ve been watching where you were going.”
Jasmine flashed Lou a warning glare, and he grew tight-lipped. They both knew this had nothing to do with the other driver. He’d just been yet another victim to Lou’s curse.
“What’s your name?” Jasmine asked.
“Bill,” the man replied. He looked back at his car, exasperated. “I’m supposed to be going to my niece’s birthday party. I don’t know how I’m going to get there now.”
Jasmine dug a hand into her pocket and drew out her wallet. She noticed Bill examining the bereginya doll in Lou’s hands.
She handed over a handful of notes. “Here. That should be enough to get you a cab or an Uber to where you need to go.”
“But…” Bill blabbered. “I’m the one that ran into you. Honestly, I don’t…”
“Take it,” Jasmine interrupted. “Trust me, this ain’t on you. Get yourself where you need to go. We’ll get ourselves sorted here.”
Bill thanked them profusely as he wrote down his contact information for Jasmine, and eventually, they convinced him to get on the road. The attendant from the store stomped over to ask what was going on, and Jasmine explained the situation. She told him she would contact a towing company to get the two cars out of his way.
She found a towing company with a quick internet search on her phone, and when she called, she offered them far more cash than a job like this would dictate. Two trucks arrived in record time. Jasmine instructed the drivers where to take the vehicles, reading Bill’s home address from the scrap of paper he had written it on and giving Eddy’s address to the other driver.
Soon, the two crumpled cars were loaded up and riding out onto the highway.
Jasmine let out a long breath. “Well, that’s one problem dealt with. Time to figure out the next.”
Lou scratched the back of his neck. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. Pain of the curse.”
Lou nodded, then glanced down at the doll in his hands. “Hold on a minute…”
“What?” Jasmine scrolled through her phone, scouring the web for the nearest and most convenient place to get them a replacement vehicle. She found it ironic that moments after telling Eli she’d be at his place soon, her car would be taken out of commission.
Lou narrowed his eyes at Jasmine. “Why did you have the bereginya doll in the store?”
Jasmine looked up at Lou.
“In the store,” Lou repeated. “You had it with you. Otherwise, how would you have run back to put it in my lap? Why did you take the doll?”
Jasmine shrugged, deciding the only way forward was to tell the truth. “I don’t know. I guess I must be more tired than I thought. While you were asleep, I must have pocketed it.” She shook her head. “Believe me, it makes less sense to me than it does to you.”
“I wasn’t asleep,” Lou retorted.
Jasmine stared at him.
“What?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes. “Nothing.”
Heavy footsteps drew their attention as the attendant marched back toward them. “Enough lingering. You get out now. Nothing but trouble, the both of you.”
Jasmine held her ground. “Excuse me?”
“You cause problems,” the attendant snapped. “This isn’t a social place. You clear out now before I call the police.”
