Slip

Chapter Eight

Eric

I knew exactly when Chip saw her. Not by looking at his face, but by hearing his gasp. I watched as he got up and walked towards towards her slowly and in disbelief. "I-is that really you?" He struggled to get out.

"You see me don't you?" Her mouth curved into a smirk at her smart remark.

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I've been drinking so I could be hallucinating." They both laughed softly.

Chip embraced her into a hug and held her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck.

"Who is she?"  I asked, hoping they couldn't hear me.

Marc chuckled. "That's Cheryl. He cheated on Amy with her twenty-something years ago."

"Does Amy know?"

Leo nodded. "She knows. Legend says he was so heart broken when they spilt, he didn't even look at Amy when they went out after that. Then he told her because she was getting angry with him."

"I mean, angry. She threw the napkin container thing and there were napkins everywhere." Marc added on.

"You weren't even there!" Leo laughed.

"Yes I was! I was sitting behind them!"

"I was told you weren't there."

"Eric doesn't know that!"

Chip cleared his throat, glaring at us. "What on earth are you on about?" He still hadn't let go of Cheryl. They looked great together, actually. They looked perfect. I knew seeing Chip's family portraits with Amy and his two daughters didn't look right. I knew he should've been in a different picture. I just knew it.

"Uh nothing," Marc smiled wide. "You go ahead and continue your romantic chapter."

"Thank you." Chip rolled his eyes, chuckling and turning back to Cheryl.

Charlotte stepped towards Leo and hugged him tightly, smiling wide. "I can't believe I found him. Well, I've always known Chip but I didn't know he was my dad." I could hear her as they were right next to me. "I would've never guessed."

"Neither would I. At least you won't have to catch up with him like you would if you didn't know him," Leo chuckled, hugging her back.

There was love in the room at that moment. It was beautiful really. It had been forever since I had seen real smiles on Leo's nor Chip's faces. Chip was always angry at the world for God knows why. Leo hadn't been truly happy since he and his wife split up. Or ex-wife. They split up two years ago.  Now with Charlotte in his arms, I could see the happiness in his eyes. And with Cheryl even in Chip's presence, I could see a completed puzzle.

The night had gotten better from when I came out and when Jason finally told everyone his "shocking" truth. I still felt something else coming, though. It wasn't going to be good. I just hoped that it would have something to do with everyone else but us. I felt a little selfish for thinking that way, but who else wouldn't think the same thing? No one wants all this trouble. No one wants trouble. I see it everyday. I'm a cop. It just gets tiring and sickening after seeing it so much. 

I shivered at the things that I've seen this past week. Marc glanced at me. "Do you need a hug too?" He leaned over to whisper to me. I didn't know Marc liked rainbows too. Unless he was trying to break the awkward silence between us.

I laughed at this and shook my head. "I'm fine. Do you have the time?"

"It just stroke nine."

Standing up, I nodded and decided to leave my money plus the tip on the bar. I also paid for Jason's beverages. He had to pay me back the next week. I didn't even know if we were going to make it back to the bar the following week.

As soon as I started walking towards the door, two tall men in Steele County Sherriff's Department uniforms strutted their way in. I didn't know either of their names; only their faces. I looked up at them and asked them their reasons for coming in.. They were looking for Marc.  Marc. Before I could ask anything, they pushed me out of their way to get to him and cuff his hands.

"Marcus Vince, you are under arrest for distribution and possession." They recited our everyday lines. The whole thing about "whatever you say or do can be held against you in the-" blah blah blah. Even though they missed a few lines, I didn't care about how they did our routine. I cared about the crime that one of my best friends had committed.

"What's going on?" Chip exclaimed, just as confused as we all were.

Marc sighed as he didn't fight them off. He sighed. "I'm a doctor that hands out prescription medicines to some that don't need it. Think of it as giving back to the community. It's been going on for a good year; they finally caught me." he started being pulled away out off the bar.

Chip cursed an quickly felt his pockets for his keys. "We've got to go get him out."

Cheryl nodded. "Do you need me to come with you?"

He looked at her, nodding quickly. "Please." Leaning in, he kissed her lips deeply before grabbing her hand and walking her out to the car.

We all were ready to get him within three minutes after that. All of us besides Leo.

His eyes were glued to the TV. The blonde newscaster gave a smile to the camera before a picture and  name came onto the screen. "This just in, District Attorney Kendra McMillian was found dead in the parking lot of the Joyce Marriot Hotel parking lot. She was stabbed twenty-seven times until dead."

Kendra was Leo's ex-wife.