Hampton's Paradise [Sequel to The Other Lodge]

Zachary Parker

The grey sky and the missing sun aren't usual in East Hampton around the summer but today is one of those sad and depressing days.

That's maybe what push us to go to Zachary Parker so-called place. I'm with Cheryl and Elliot so he will not be too scared.

The others are either sleeping or working on the Shadow Lake travel.

When we arrive to the address Elliot manage to take from the hospital registers, we are surprised to see some cool and modern apartment. This is a good sign, the man we are searching for, loves luxurious places.

We enter the residence and quickly find our way to the room 2107 indicated by the warden in exchange of 150$.

Elliot knocks on the door and a thirty-year old man opens it.

"What can I do for you?" His weak voice comes to our ears with difficulties.

"Are you Zachary Parker?" Cheryl asks.

"In the flesh. But if you're coming to beat my ass again, just say to your boss that I have enough. I don't care about his money anymore."

"We are not here for your money nor to beat your ass Mister Parker..." I say softly trying to make him trust us.

"Oh, so what are you doing here then?" He asks suspiciously.

"We wanted to have informations on the people who did that to you. We have some good reasons to believe they tried to kill us too." Elliot answers.

"I see... well you should come in. We have a lot to discuss about." He opens his door widely.

We all look at each other and we decide to enter the apartment.

"So... do you know who did that to me?" He sighs while sitting on a seat.

"We're not really sure but we know you were fighting with those guys at a bar lately." I say and show him a picture of the two men we took care of.

"Yes, that's true. But I don't think one of them did that to me. They talk a lot but they aren't the greatest when it comes to act." Zachary chuckles.

"Oh, we saw that." I smirk.

"Plus, there was only one guy who attacked me. Pretty tall, fit with grey eyes. He was wearing a hood so I can't say more." Describe Zachary.

"Seems like someone we know babe, don't you think?" Cheryl asks me.

"Yeah, seems like it." I frown. "Do you know where we can find him?"

"No, but I know a way to make him come to you..." he smirks.

"Tell us." Say Elliot interested.

"There is a party in Southampton with all the richest families of New York. The money I wanted back is owned by one of those mobsters so if the man, who attacked me, knows I'm at that party...."

"He will think you still want the money and will come to finish the job." I say thoughtful.

"Your dad didn't lie about you being clever Jade." Zachary says.

"What?" I frown.

"Oh yes I know who you are and you too Elliot. Don't forget your dad wanted me to be a part of this thing first, Lodge. But then, I saw the bigger picture and obviously nor your father nor his business partner took this as a benediction..." Zachary devilishly smiles.

"What's your plan, then?" Elliot asks.

"You help me enter the building and the party. You give me protection from the guy who will try to kill me and I steal the money I deserve."

"What do we win in the deal?" Cheryl wonders.

"First, I'll tell you the name of Hiram Lodge associate and then I'll lead you to the guy you want to talk with." Zachary explains.

"Seems fair. What if you're not keeping your promise?" I say.

"Will not happen. If you agree now, I give you all my informations about them. They are in my office back there. You will have the cards in hand." He shrugs.

"Fine. Bring them now. We will help you."

He stands up and goes in his office. Two minutes later, he comes back with three huge boxes.

"So, you might not need all of those boxes now but it will help you more than it helped me. The first one is the helpful one for the party, every name, every information about the people who will be there are in it. This one is more of what your father wanted us to do and what he knows about the case, I guess I don't have all the informations in this but maybe you'll have answers." Zachary smiles.

"And this one?" Cheryl asks looking at the third box.

"Oh, this." He looks at me. "This could be useful in case the whispers around NY are right. If Jade Lodge starts her own business, then everything she might need to know is here."

"You were waiting for me, weren't you?" I chuckle.

"Do you think I will have let my address in the hospital registers if it wasn't for you to find me?" He smirks.

"Who are you for real?" Elliot asks.

"Someone your father knows well Elliot. You will find out someway so I'll let you spy on me a little more." He winks. "You should go children, it will not be long until your father sends other people to find me, I don't want to be there when it will happen and you all neither, trust me."

"Thanks." I quickly say and we leave with the boxes.

Once we are back in the car and Elliot is driving back home, Cheryl talks.

"I have a weird feeling." She says.

"I agree it's too easy, too well prepared." Elliot says.

"I don't think I can trust him, don't you think babe?" Cheryl asks but I don't answer.

I'm in the back of the car reading some of the papers Zachary gave us. I can't believe it, he has informations on everyone and everything...

I turn the pages without even listening to Elliot and Cheryl. And then I find what I was searching for. My father's partner.

"Holy shit." I whisper in shock.

"What is it Jade?" Elliot wonders worriedly.

"Why are you this pale, babe?" Asks Cheryl.

"I know who is working with my dad... it's Myles McCoy. Josie's father..."

Back in East Hampton

We come back still shocked. We gather everyone in the living room and they all start to expose what they found. Cassidy's friends who are still in Shadow Lake, what kind of proves we can find there, who we should talk to....

"I don't want to be rude guys" Betty says. "But it doesn't seem like you care."

"Sorry Betty..." I sigh. "It's just... we need to tell you all something. It will not be easy for one of us and there is no easy way to say it..."

They all look really worried. We explain them how our talk with Zachary was and then I can't hide them what we found.

I stand up and breathe loudly.

"You're scaring me Jade." Toni says.

"You don't have to worry about it. However, one of you will go through a hard time. I've been there before, all of us New Yorkers, Cheryl and Jughead somehow too. Learning one of our parents is a mobster is never easy.."

"Who is it?" Reggie asks.

"My dad's business partner, who was willing to send men killing us, is... your father Josie..."

"Oh shut up, he is just a jazz guy, not a mobster...." she chuckles nervously.

"Nice cover indeed..." Elliot says sadly. "But there are proves...."

I give Josie the file on her father and she breaks down...

She runs away from the living room with only Sweet Pea to follow her..

Poor Josie...