Shadow

Chapter 8 - The Jackal

When Jimmy Roberts woke up this morning there were two things he expected, and three things he did not. The two things he planned on doing was to stay indoors and obsess over his notes containing Richie's trial and research online anything that was connected with his madness. He even anticipated Rachel going to work and staying there until five. The three things he did not envisage was to receive the phone call he had dreaded for a long time of Richie's release, then break off his marriage of five years with Rachel, and finally be on the road for Vegas with a purpose to kill his son's killer, not to mention pick up a hitchhiker along the way which took the form of a feisty, teenage girl.

Life sure is full of surprises.

This was his thought when he let Abbie back into the car again. Let was an understatement, more like he waited for her to get back into the car again. Now that she sat beside him, arms folded, silent, except for a few sniffles every now and then, she looked like a wounded soldier. Only this soldier wasn't injured defending the country but trying to defend the only bit of cocaine she had in her possession.

It was another 72 miles for Las Vegas.

You could almost hear a pin drop as the conversation between the two parties had died for the last 17 miles. Other than the sound of the engine running, it was the most awkward silence Jimmy had encountered since all those times sitting in the living room with Rachel. Him with his laptop open, sitting in the Barcalounger, feet up, and Rachel focusing on the show on TV. He would notice Rachel turning her head to glance at him, but he would pretend to concentrate on the contents of his laptop.

'Are you alright?' he asked, breaking the silence.

He was never the one to make the first move, especially with Rachel, but with Abbie it was different. He was compelled to make things right between them. After all, she was still a teenager, and he the adult.

Abbie shot a look at him, then turned to face the windshield again. 'I'll live,' she whispered.

'I shouldn't have hit you,' he said. 'I had no right to do that. I'm sorry.'

'You know that's twice today you've apologized. More so than what Tony ever did.'

'When I apologize, I mean it.'

'I can tell.'

'It's just that when I saw that you'd been taking drugs, especially cocaine, I just saw red. Plus I was defending myself too, you understand?'

'I understand. It wouldn't matter to me if you hit me again, though; I'm used to it.'

Jimmy tapped her on the arm. 'Girls are meant to be respected, not beaten.'

'I'm sorry I hit you too.'

'You certainly pack quite a punch.'

'Well, when you live the way I have, you keep it all in,' she explained, 'and then when it's unleashed, it's like inside there's a volcano that explodes.'

Jimmy knew the feeling all too well. He had kept in what he really thought of Rachel for all those years, but today he could no longer hold it in. He had erupted. His marriage may have ended now because of that and it proved that words had a stronger power than anything else. However, the way Jimmy perceived Abbie was different from Rachel: Abbie was obnoxious, foul-mouthed, but a fighter; Rachel was quiet, well-spoken, but weak.

'How long have you been taking drugs?' he asked.

Abbie took a long sigh, then answered, 'Since my dad died.'