She Tries to Forget

Passion in James County XVI

Ann was scheduled to go in to work from ten in the morning until six in the evening the next day. When she arrived at the store, she found her co-workers buzzing with excitement. Toni Wicks was working at the service desk. When Ann finished punching in, Toni waved her over.

"Did you hear about all the excitement this morning?" Ann's colleague whispered, she was bubbling with excitement and it was clear she was dying to tell Ann the exciting news.

"Hear what?" Ann asked. "What happened, anyhow?"

"Lonnie Ames got arrested first thing this morning!" Toni gushed.

"Arrested?" Ann stammered. "For...for what?"

"For stealing from the store," her friend replied.

"What?" Ann said. She felt as if an iron band had been wrapped around her heart and lungs. "Are...are you...sure?"

Her colleague nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure," Toni said, "I was standing right here when the cops took him out in handcuffs."

"What...what do they...say...he stole?" Ann stammered. She was fighting hard to hold back the tears which threatened to well up in her eyes.

"He stole some stuff from jewelry and a bunch of things from electronics," Toni said. "The cops found the stuff in his truck out in the parking lot. It's a damn shame, isn't it? Lonnie always seemed like such a good kid. Hard to believe he's a thief, isn't it? I guess you never know about people, do you?"

"How...how did...did they find out?" Ann asked. She wanted to run into the lady's room so she could cry, but she had to know more about this.

"Mr. Lewis saw the stuff in Lonnie's truck out in the parking lot," Toni said. She shook her head. "I never thought Lonnie was a thief, and especially not a stupid one. You'd think if he was gonna steal something, he'd at least hide it, wouldn't you?"

"Ah...yeah," Ann said. "Mr. Lewis found the stolen things?"

Toni nodded. "Yeah, I guess he noticed them when he was coming in this morning or something," she said.

"Lonnie didn't steal a thing," Ann thought. Anger began replacing fear in her mind. "Somehow, Mr. Lewis must have found out about Lonnie and me, and..." Anger changed to guilt. "If...if I hadn't...seduced Lonnie, none of this would have happened. It's...it's all my fault."

"Ann, are you OK?" Toni asked. "You look kinda pale."

"I-I'm fine," Ann said, "I...its just such a shock to hear that about Lonnie."

"Yeah, I guess!" Toni said. "He's the last person I woulda expected to steal stuff."

"Is...is Mr. Lewis in?" Ann asked.

Toni shook her head. "He hadda go down to the police station to file a report or something," she said. "I don't know when he'll be back. He didn't say."

"Could you let me know when he does get back?" Ann asked. "I really need to talk with him."

"Yeah, sure, Ann, no problem," Toni said.

"I should never have let anything happen with Lonnie," Ann thought as she walked toward the electronics department, where she was assigned to work that day. "If I'd stayed away from him, he wouldn't be in jail now. Why is it that everything I touch turns to crap? Why am I a jinx to anyone who even tries to be nice to me?"

Mark Lewis never did return to the store. When Ann got off work that evening and started driving home, she couldn't get the picture of Lonnie in handcuffs, sitting in jail, out of her mind. She didn't know much about the criminal justice system and wondered if he could get bailed out or something. When she pulled into her driveway, she saw Martin Flannigan's car parked next to his house and her spirits lifted a little.

"Maybe Martin can help me find out what happened to Lonnie," she thought. She parked her car in front of the garage, walked over to Martin's house, and knocked on the door.

Martin heard the knock on his back door, answered it, and was delighted to see his pretty neighbor standing there, although he was concerned by the upset look on her face. "Ann," he said, "it's nice of you to welcome me home." He held the door open. "Come in, can I get you some coffee or something?"

"Ah...I-I noticed you were away," Ann said. She walked by him, into his house. "Martin, something...something's come up and...and I-I think I need your help."

Martin pulled a chair away from the kitchen table. "Have a seat," he said. "You want some coffee? I'll get it while you tell me what's wrong."

"I take my coffee with cream and no sugar," Ann said, sitting down. "Ah...a friend of mine, he...he got arrested this morning."

"What's he being charged with?" Martin asked. He got two mugs out of his cupboard and poured coffee into them. He always had coffee on when he was home.

"I-I don't know exactly," Ann said, "they claim he stole some jewelry and electronic stuff from the store."

Martin carried the mugs to the table and set them down. Then he pulled out a chair next to the one Ann was sitting in and sat down. "Depending on what he took, it could be a felony charge," he said.

Ann shook her head. "That's just it," she said. "He...he didn't take anything. I-I know he didn't."

"How do you know that, Ann?" Martin asked. He didn't find it at all unusual that she didn't believe the guy was guilty. Friends are often like that. They don't want to believe bad of people they know.

"I-I just know Lonnie didn't do it," she replied. "He...he wouldn't do something like that."

"Sounds like this guy means something to you," Martin observed.

Ann wasn't sure how to respond to Martin's comment. "He...he's a really good friend," Ann replied. "He...he's been...he's been really nice to me this week and...and..." Finally, the impact of what happened that day hit her and she began to sob.

Martin had never been good at dealing with crying women and wasn't sure exactly what to do, so he just sat there, sipping his coffee, while Ann sobbed.

Ann finally got herself under control. She took a deep breath, looked at Martin, and said, "I think Lonnie...he's my friend, the one who was arrested...I'm sure he...he was set up."

"What makes you think that, Ann?" Martin asked. It wasn't the first time he'd heard something like this and probably wouldn't be the last. He knew his neighbor meant well, but if the guy had the stolen goods in his possession, it wasn't very likely he'd been set up. The Jamestown cops were good, and would know a setup if they saw it.

"I-I just do," Ann replied. "Lonnie, he...he wouldn't steal from the store."

Martin put down his coffee mug and laid his hand on top of Ann's which were folded in her lap. "Ann, you can't imagine how many people who are arrested claim they've been set up," he said.

Ann looked at him plaintively. "But...but Lonnie was set up!" she exclaimed. "I-I know he was, and...and I-I know who did it."

"Who do you think did it?" Martin asked.

"Mark...Mark Lewis," Ann said, "He...he's the store manager."

Martin felt his eyebrows raising. "Ann, you don't really expect me to believe the store manager set up one of his employees, do you?" he said. "Think about it, do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?"

Ann shook her head and looked at Martin. Why wouldn't he believe her? "I don't care if...if it sounds crazy. He...he did, I know he did!" she replied. "You...you have to believe me!"

"I'd like to believe you, Ann," Martin said gently, "but what you're telling me sounds pretty incredible. Why would the store manager want to set this guy up?"

"Because..." Ann began, then she stopped. How could she tell Martin the real reason why she believed Mark Lewis had set Lonnie up? What would her neighbor think of her if he found out about the things that she and Lonnie had been doing, and...and what Mark was forcing her to do, too. He certainly didn't seem to believe what she'd said about Lonnie being innocent.

Martin, watching his neighbor, could see the terrible inner turmoil reflected on her face as she struggled with his question. "Ann, why do you think this Lewis guy set your friend up?" he asked again.

"Because...because he...because he...Mr. Lewis....he's jealous..." she stammered. Once more, tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "He...he's using Lonnie to...to get back at...at me."

Martin was surprised by her admission, but didn't let his face show it. "Ann, you have to tell me more than that," he said. "I know this is painful, and I hate asking you to tell me things that are personal, but if you want me to help, you have to tell me the whole story. Why do you think your boss is jealous of you and this Lonnie?"

"Can I tell him?" Ann thought, "What will he think of me when he finds out? But...but if I don't tell him...what will happen to Lonnie?" She looked at Martin. "The-the other day, I didn't have my car at...at work and Lonnie...he-he gave me a ride home," she said. "Lonnie's one of the stock clerks at the store. He's really nice and..." She stopped and took a deep breath, then she fished a tissue out of her purse and blew her nose.

Martin didn't want to make this any harder on her than he had to. He got the picture. Ann and this Lonnie were apparently lovers. "Why does thinking that bug me?" he wondered, recognizing that it was feelings of jealousy forming in his mind. "I understand," he said. "But that doesn't explain why your boss would have done what you claim he's done."

Ann took another deep breath to steel herself, then she said, "Last week, Mark...Mr. Lewis, called me into his office. He...he said he wanted to talk to me about a promotion I'm up for."

"And..." Martin said softly.

"He...he told me that if...if I...if I...if I didn't do what he...he wanted me...me to do...he..." Ann stammered. She paused and blew her nose again.

"I think I understand now," Martin said. He felt a knot of anger forming inside him. "Are you telling me your boss used the treat of not getting the promotion to force you to have sex with him?"

Ann nodded. "That...that's not...it's not all..." she stammered. "He came to my house a few days later and...and forced me to...to have sex with him again. And...I...he...I think he's...he's been, you know, stalking me, too."

"What makes you think he's stalking you?" Martin asked. This story of hers was pretty wild, but he'd heard wilder ones that proved to be true.

"Mr. Lewis...Mark he...he knows about what I do," Ann replied. "He...he knows where I go, and who I go with, and all. He knew you were over at my house that day when...when you made that man go away. He wouldn't know things like that unless he was watching me, would he?"

"No, I guess he wouldn't," Martin said. He decided he didn't like this Mark Lewis, not at all. And, if he could, he was going to do what he could to get Ann free of him. "Do you have any proof of what your boss is doing?" he asked.

Ann shook her head. "How...how could I?" she asked. "He...he and I were alone in his office, and...and when he was at my house." She thought about something. "He...he's married, maybe his wife knows something."

Martin shrugged. "His wife may know something," he agreed, "but I doubt she knows exactly what he's doing. The thing is, if she does know, and isn't doing anything about it, chances of getting her to help us are slim and none. And even if she suspects something, she probably thinks he's having an affair and doesn't know any of the particulars, which doesn't help us, either."

"So...so you're saying there's nothing you can do?" Ann said. She felt sick. She thought Martin might be able to help her, but it didn't sound that way.

Martin shook his head. "Oh, no," he said, "I think there are things we can do. You could file a sexual harassment complaint against him, for example."

"But what good would that do?" Ann said. "He'll deny it, and..." She realized that if she filed a complaint, Mr. Lewis would probably use things he knew about her picking up men in bars against her. If he did that, she was sure she'd lose.

Martin was thinking hard. He hadn't worked cases like this in over ten years. A sexual harassment complaint might make the man let Ann alone, but if she was right about the guy stalking her, the guy might be some kind of wacko and would keep after her. In fact, if his job was in jeopardy, he might just try to shut her up, which would mean she'd be in even more danger. After all, if he really had set this Lonnie person up because of his relationship with Ann, it probably meant he was capable of doing just about anything.

Ann mistook the reason for Martin's silence and started to stand up. "I-I'm sorry I-I bothered you," she said. "I-I guess I better go home. I-I guess I'll have to figure out how to deal with this...myself."

Martin had an idea. Maybe a sting would work. If Ann was willing to cooperate, and the Jamestown P.D. was willing to try it. "Ann, I'm sorry," he said, "I do believe you. I was thinking. I may have a way to help you, but it might involve some risk on your part."

"Will...will it help Lonnie, too?" Ann asked.

"Lonnie, again," Martin thought. He nodded. "Yes," he said, "it will probably help him, too."

Ann sat back down. "Then I'll do it," she said. "What do I have to do?"

"I need to check with Jamestown P.D. first," Martin said. "This is in their jurisdiction. And I have a feeling the prosecuting attorney's going to want to be involved, too."

"But Lonnie's in jail!" Ann protested.

Martin shook his head. "I doubt that," he said. "He doesn't have a criminal record, does he?"

"I-I don't think so," Ann said. "I-I don't really know."

"I'll check," Martin said, "but my guess is that he's been released. In this state, you pretty near have to commit a double-murder before they hold you without bail. I'd bet Jamestown processed your friend, arraigned him, and the magistrate released him on PR."

"PR?" Ann said, puzzled.

"Personal recognizance," Martin explained, "it means he promises to come back to court when he's supposed to."

"Oh," Ann said. She felt relieved. "Are...are you sure?"

"I'll call the PD and check," Martin said. Then a thought occurred to him. "This Lewis guy sounds like he's getting out of control," he told Ann. "What do you think he's going to do next?"

Ann shrugged. "I-I don't know," she said. She realized what Martin was getting at. "Do...do you think he...he might try to...to hurt me?" she stammered.

"I don't know," Martin replied. "But I'm not sure I'd take a chance if I were you? Is there any place you can stay where you'd be safe and this Lewis guy can't get to you?"

Ann shook her head. "I-I don't have any family...not...not any...more," she replied softly.

"How about friends?" Martin asked.

"The...the only friends I have are women I work with," Ann said. "And...and Mr. Lewis knows all of them."

"She could stay here. You can keep her safe," Martin found himself thinking. But he ignored the thought when another idea came to him. "Here's what we'll do," he said. "I want you to call the store and tell them you have to take some time off to go visit a sick relative."

"But I already told you, I don't have any relatives," Ann protested.

"I know that, but do they know it at the store?" he asked.

Ann shrugged. "I-I don't think so," she said, "I-I never talk much about my personal life at the store. Even to the other girls."

"Good," Martin said. "You can call the store from here. Then I want you to go over to your place and pack enough clothes to hold you for a couple of days."

"But I told you, I don't have any place to go," Ann said.

"You will have by the time you get back," Martin told her. "I'm going to make arrangements for that right now."

"Where am I going?" Ann asked.

"My daughter has a spare bedroom in her apartment," he said, "I'm sure she won't mind having you there for a couple of days. That's all it should take."

"I-I can't do that," Ann said. "If...if I'm in danger, then she'll be in danger, too. I couldn't do that."

"Melissa's a detective with the Lincoln County Sheriff's department," Martin said. "And her fiancée is a sergeant with the State Patrol. Believe me, you'll be safe there."

"Oh," Ann said.

"The phone's through that doorway over there," Martin said. "Call work, then go get packed."

"All right," Ann said. She stood up and walked in the direction Martin indicated.

160

Roi: She Tries To Forget