Dakota (Ch 22)

The creaking footsteps stopped. I hesitated. Was it her?

"Rebekah?"

I stepped into the open doorway and found the barrel of a gun pressed against my left cheek. My mind didn't process. I froze. I didn't move. I didn't think. I just stood and stared at the gun in front of me.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you want."

"You know what I want. I've tried to tell you."

My eyes flashed away from the gun to the face of its owner. My mind restarted. Things immediately began to process. Tension fell.

"Rebekah, what are you doing? You've seriously lost your mind! Get that thing out of my face before you hurt yourself."

"No Jake. No. You listen to me."

She shook the gun wildly. I was afraid. Not because I was afraid of her. I was afraid she might accidentally fire without intending to. She didn't know what she was doing. This wasn't her. This wasn't in her playbook. She had just lost it. There was no other explanation.

"Rebekah. This isn't funny. Let's talk about this. OK? Put the gun away. Put it down. C'mon--we can talk this out."

Hope returned to her eyes. She sincerely thought that there was still a possibility of this working between us. She somehow thought it could still happen. She was grossly mistaken. But I needed her to think it wasn't over. I needed to get the gun away from her.

"Fine. Fine, Jake. If we can make this work, I'll put it down."

"We can talk about it. Let's just put it down first, alright?"

I gently guided her arm down to her side and then slid the gun from her sweaty palm. She was shaking.

"OK, Beka, let's sit on the couch and talk about it."

I took the gun to the kitchen and locked it in the liquor cabinet. I returned to the living room as Rebekah began to break down. The situation was finally catching up with her.

"It's alright. It's over now."

"But I don't want it to be over."

She still sobbed, her eyes wet and red.

"It's been months Rebekah. You need to accept the fact we're not getting back together. Not now. Not ever--"

"But Jake--"

"No. Sorry, there is no way it's gonna happen. I can't trust you again. You burned that bridge. It can't be rebuilt. It's over."

She couldn't respond. She only cried. For the first time, it seemed as though she actually was accepting his reply. She was beginning to come to terms with it. She was going to be able to move on. There was nothing else she could do. This was the end of the line. She had tried it all. She had tried so hard, but it wasn't until now, not until she heard it again from his mouth. Now she knew that her life was going to be drastically different. I couldn't help but smile. She finally understood.

/ / /

Kahle had turned his phone to vibrate when he got in the car. His radio was off. It was just him and Janie in the car. He needed it that way. After hearing the extent of her story, he was happy with the decisions he had made. He knew it wasn't going to go over well. He knew he was going to hear about it later. Holt was not going to be happy about it. Sioux Falls is a long drive from Wessington. And he would be coming back empty handed. But Kahle didn't care. He just wanted answers.

He had what he needed. He needed to hit the ground running with this. His foot pressed the pedal toward the floor. Another twenty miles and he would have Janie back at home.

She sat, faced pressed against the glass, forehead matted with sweaty hair. Her eyes showed concern. For the first time in a very long time, Janie was showing consideration for someone else. She didn't know what to think. She knew that is was very possible that her actions led to her brothers death. She wasn't sure where to go from here though. What should she do next? What was Jake going to say? She couldn't lose him. Not now. She couldn't. Tears returned to the corners of her eyes. She closed them tightly. She rubbed her palms together, squeezed tightly. Then she buried her face in her hands and cried. She was lost. She was worried. And she felt regret. It wasn't something she felt often. She didn't remember the distaste that formed in your mouth, the uneasiness that built up in your stomach, the pain that climbed up that back of your neck.

Kahle glanced over at her again. He hadn't expected this sort of breakdown. He thought she was stronger than this. But then again, maybe it was the liquor that made her strong. Maybe it was the liquor that made her tough.

"It's going to be alright, Janie. Really it is. If it really was this Pablo guy? If it was him? We'll get him. We'll do what it takes to get him. I promise you that."

"You don't get it."

"What's to get?"

"There is no if. Pablo did this. But he didn't do it himself. He wouldn't dirty his hands. No. He sent someone. He wouldn't make the trip. He had people for this sort of thing."

"You know any names? Something I could run through the system? I'm gonna have to partner with the authorities in Costa Rica on this. I can have them check these guys out."

"I don't know. It's been a while. I don't think I remember any of there names. But as far as leaning on the Costa Rican authorities. I'd steer clear of that."

"I don't have any other options. There my only contact with what's going on down there."

"You don't get it. It's not like the U.S. there. The police don't care. They don't care that Pablo and his guys are moving drugs. They don't. They know who he is. They know what he does, how he operates. Talking to them about this. Well, that's just a tip that someone is still alive. They'll pass what they hear along to Pablo. I don't doubt it for a second. And do you know what he'll do. He'll know that they missed their target. Because he knows there is no way you could know about him, unless I told you."

"I want justice for Jason. I've got to start somewhere. I've already been in contact with them."

"Dammit. What did you do? He's not going to stop. He'll make sure he hits the target this time. Me. You just signed my execution orders. He might not care what the authorities there know, but he sure as hell cares about what you know. He knows you can bring him down. He'll come back. He'll send someone."

She was frantic, scared. He didn't know what to tell her. He didn't know how to console her. She pressed the button and lowered her window. She needed air. She tilted her head out the opening and let the wind cool her down. She was worried. She knew what de Amantillo was capable of. She wouldn't be his victim. She wouldn't.

"Janie, we know what we're looking for now. We know who to watch. Holt and I can protect you. You'll be alright. There's no need to panic."

"The two of you can't be with me day and night. You don't understand. It's only a matter of time. How long has it been since you contacted the authorities down there?"

"Couple of days..."

"Shit."

/ / /

Her clarity faded. I sat there continuing to smile. I was confused. Why was she smiling? This wasn't the reaction that she should be having. I didn't understand. She could see it in my eyes. I was sure of it.

"Jake. It'll never be over. There's no chance that this will end."

"Why do you keep doing this to yourself? Just accept it. Please, I'm getting tired of having to tell you. I can't take this anymore."

"You think it's tiring for you? Is it hard? I'm sorry. I really am. I'd hate to stress you."

I resented her sarcastic tone. I didn't understand what had changed. She seemed to take on a new persona, one that wasn't familiar. I didn't recognize her.

"Jake. We're going to get back together. We are. I know you can't say no."

"Are you deaf? I've told you no a hundred times already."

"But that was before."

"Before? Before what?"

"Before you knew."

"There's nothing to know, Beka."

"But there is."

"It's time for you to go. C'mon, get up."

"I don't think so. I'm staying right here in the family home."

"I'm not kidding. You need to get the hell out. I don't know what's wrong with you anymore. You lost it. I'm sorry that you took it so hard. But it's over and I can't do anything else to make you see that. So just make this easy and go please."

"I didn't lose it. I know what I'm doing, what I've been trying to do."

"And what's that? Get us back together?"

"To tell you..."

"To tell me what?"

"To tell you...I'm pregnant."