I'll Catch You

Chapter 4

That night Opie, Mae and the kids had dinner together, the children were simply overjoyed to have their father back and it was a wonderful evening. It cemented Mae's new outlook, her cravings for Oxy after Hale left were a distant memory and the emotions she felt at that table made the drugs pale in comparison. Once the younger Winstons were asleep the reunited couple made love twice more before passing out.

Opie kept the kids the next day and Mae went to work. She was perfectly fine with giving the family time, she wanted them to reconnect. The things Hale said to her had stuck, they bounced around her head constantly and she couldn't help but think harder and harder on them.

Sitting at her computer she tried not to think about it but the harder she tried the more Mitchell danced in her head. Doubting her judgment, Mae grabbed her cell phone and decided to call back home to the few people she knew wouldn't come for her head.

"Hey Paulie." She actually smiled at the sound of his deep monotone voice. "It's Mae."

"Maeby," he sang happily. "How are you? Shit girl, I miss you. You staying clean?"

It wasn't the reaction she expected, far from it, but Mae enjoyed his excitement. "I am, everything is going really well. Listen, I was wondering if you have heard from Jacoby recently?"

Paulie didn't say anything, Mae didn't even hear him breathe, and a thick air of anxiety filled the room around her. "Paulie?"

"He's dead. Well, we're pretty sure he's dead." There was genuine sorrow in Paulie's voice. "He went out west with Jude, he's dead too."

"My boyfriend is the one who killed Jude. They came out here looking for me, they," weighing her options Mae only said what she knew she could. "He attacked me, best the shit out of me, Jude was going to kill me."

"Jesus," Paulie growled. "Maeby, I'm sorry. I knew he blamed you, I knew he did but he didn't say he found you."

"Yeah, I figured he didn't. You guys all knew I didn't go to the cops."

"Jude needed a why, he was too sure of himself. I'm sorry, girl, I am. Your boyfriend, he killed him?"

"He walked in on Jude, he had me tied to a bed, he was literally about to kill me Paulie."

Although he was furious, and suddenly thrust into mourning, Paulie had been in the exact situation years before. He knew why it was done and he had to accept it. His history and his girlfriend's death was why Mae chose to call him and no one else.

"At least you're safe now."

"Except for Mitchell," she said quietly. "Why do you think he's dead?"

"He had a ticket to come home, he never made it though and Jude's body did. He was meant to come home with it. After that, his grandfather's ring was sent back here. There was blood on it, Mae. Whoever did it wanted to be sure no one came looking for him and that we knew they didn't want to be fucked with."

It was Opie. Mae was positive it was Opie and her stomach, already unsettled prior to the call, flipped around until she dropped the phone to run and vomit.

"Mae?" Paulie called out to her as she continued to get sick. "I'll just wait, girl."

A few minutes later he heard her pick the phone back up. "I am so sorry."

"It's all good. You alright?"

"Yeah, I've just had a crazy few weeks. That's crazy about Mitch but really, are you surprised?"

"No, I gotta ask you though, Mae. Was that your new guy?"

"No." She said quickly. "He's not some criminal, I've had enough of those types, he's just an average guy. He only killed Jude because of what happened, because he had to protect me, he wouldn't go after Mitch or anything."

With a gruff chuckle, Paulie sighed. "You're lucky I believe you. Big guys aren't happy."

"Big guys?"

"Yeah, we started working with a crew out here for protection, from cops and other dealers. Jude told em' he was out west for connections, they didn't know about you."

"Don't tell them, please." Her hands began to shake. "I'm worried they'll come sniffing around, I don't need that in my life, Paulie. Besides, I work for the government now and that won't bode well for you guys."

They already did not intend to purse Mitchell, no one told the new partners about the ring and Jude, his death was too official, they needed to let the heat die down if they were ever going to digging into that. It was almost a lucky break; Jude was mouthy and already caused much more trouble than he was worth. It was glaringly obvious why they felt they needed a biggie group backing them; they saw that not too long after they started working together, Jude was that problem.

"Don't worry about it, kid."

She was worried but only because she feared Opie had lied to her, that he'd broken that promise, and it would come back to haunt them.

—

"Ope, I am so sorry." Unser was shocked to see Opie in his doorway; he was the last Son the Chief wanted to speak with about the pictures. "I screwed up."

"Yeah, ya did." Opie didn't sit, his giant boots clomped around the office as he scanned the various frames along the wall. "We need to know who took the pictures; you have to have an idea."

Frazzled, Unser ran his palm over his baldhead, and began to stammer awkwardly. "You know, really, it could have been anyone."

With a dark chuckle, Opie stopped and turned to face Unser. "Anyone? Anyone in town at all?"

"Well, anyone who works here."

Not following the original plan, appealing to Unser's guilt and softer side, Opie spoke with an exaggerated low, dark tone. "Wasn't Eglee, you know that."

"Okay," Unser put his hands up in frustration. "We both know the only ones who would do it are either outside of this office or share the last name Hale. I don't think David would do it, he wants you but he wants you the right way."

"Jacob." Opie growled. "Why didn't you come to us?"

"I don't know if it was him, that's all a hunch. I can't have you going after one of the founding sons of this town over a hunch. He was here one day, in my office, and the next thing I know you're all locked up."

"Clay's gonna want to talk to you."

"Yeah, yeah, he's always talking to me."