jasleen

= Deceit =

Brrrrring brrrrrring my cell phone went off in the busy subway, I tried to get it out of my purse but it fell. “I’ll get that”, replied a sweet voice. I looked up to see a girl in about her mid twenties, like me. She had jet black hair cascading down her back and piercing blue eyes, she looked friendly but for some reason I thought I saw a look of guilt in her eyes but I can’t be sure. “Hi, I’m Joanne but my friends call me Joey” she chirped happily WOW I thought, friends? I haven’t even said a word to her this was pretty unusual for subway people who are usually lazy, tired, grumpy, and anti-social. ”hi I’m Katrina, thank you” I replied retrieving back my cell phone I couldn’t help but notice her ring it was a simple gold band with a emerald in the middle and two smaller ones either side. “I love your ring, is it from your wedding?” I asked. “oh-uh …yes” she stuttered. We talked the whole ride until it was time for my stop, we became friends she was just so easy to talk to and nice but I just couldn’t help but notice something was off with her I don’t know what but something sort of threw me off, I just ignored it I was bad at reading people anyway “this is your stop too?” My thoughts were cut off by Joey who was now standing up. “Yeah, where do you work?” I asked. “I’m the secretary for Block&Block over there” she replied. If she works for Block&Block she must know me considering I pretty much own the place… “You’re Katrina Block, biggest shareholder in apple right? I can’t believe I didn’t notice you you’re like my boss” I couldn’t help but hear fakeness in her voice even if she just is starting work she would have noticed me maybe this will be a good friendship I didn’t like all the people who just tried to be my friends because of my job.

“Hey, where have you been Kat I tried calling you but didn’t pickup” Nate rambled on he was my best friend he was with me every second when my husband Damon died and always helped me out taking care of my daughter Katy.”Hey Nate sorry I didn’t call back, I forgot …oh and this is my friend Joanne, Joey for short” I apologized taking notice of Joey who I forgot was there all this time, it looked like they already knew each other from what I could tell. Brrrring briiiing briiiiing my cell phone went off “hello?” “Hi this is Samantha I can’t look after Katy tonight sorry” she apologized it sounded feared, I didn’t know what to do Nate was working late with me tonight “oh...Um ill find someone”, “I’m so sorry Katrina” she apologized we said goodbye and hung up, that was weird she always babysits. “Who was that?” asked Nate. “Samantha she can’t babysit tonight what I am going to do were both worki-”I started. “I will” Joey cut off. I hardly knew her but from what I did she was very nice I might as well I knew no one else who would. “Alright thanks I’ll give you the details just come to my office” I told her. I gave Joey important numbers, the address and important instructions I might be over doing it but I’m scared and nervous for some reason.

When I got home later that night I was really anxious to check on Katy my nerves started to get the best of me as I was walking up the stairs just for exercise instead of the elevator something caught my sight In the corner of my eye it was joeys wedding ring I put it in my purse, I’ll give it to her later. Putting the key in the lock of my condo my hands started shaking vigorously, what is wrong with me I have never been this nervous in my life. I walked in and didn’t see anyone “hello! Katy? Joey?” I yelled nervously. “Uh...Over here” Joey sniffled. I stepped into the baby pink room with white furniture dimly lit with a small table lamp across the room my gaze traveled to Joey she was sitting on the floor back against the wall, head in hands and face streaked in tears, mascara running. Where was Katy I just knew something was going to happen. “Where’s Katy?” I asked my heart racing. “She’s gone I am so sorry I didn’t know what was happening I went to get Katy a snack when I came back …..” she rambled on crying. I was frozen tears didn’t come down I was frozen then that was it, my heart stopped my whole life came crashing down, hard, All of my memories good and bad Katy and Damon they were both gone. I cried all night I didn’t know I even had that many tears my whole face drowned with the salty wetness I just sat that exact spot on Katy’s bedroom floor shaking. Reality hit me it hit me really hard I couldn’t just stand here and take all of this if I wanted to do something I had to find out who it was and why I needed to get my Katy back, and I knew just who would help me. Nate. I told Joey to leave, and called Nate over it was around 3:00 in the morning so he came as fast as he could.

"What happened, where’s Katy, who did it, when did it happen, wasn’t Joey here, I knew there was something off about her” Nate continued his voice genuinely worried asking more questions. “Let me explain” I replied trying to sound calm, but that didn’t work. I told him the whole story and about the ring. “we’ll just have to play a little game of detective then, we can’t get the police involved yet we don’t know what we are up against” Nate told sounding serious. “ I need to tell you something about Joey she used to be my girlfriend but she broke up with me, I know since she broke up with me and now she’s friends with you might think this is a lie but I honestly think this…. I think it was Joey she was mean and deceiving she turned everything around on me don’t be friends with her she’s not good for you” Said Nate nervously. “Nate look I’ve trusted this whole time we were friends and now you go blaming innocent Joey just because she broke up with you, really? Unbelievable. Just get out” I said anger bursting through me it might have been harsh but anger got to me, regardless of the anger taking control wasn’t regretting a word I said, but one thought was in the back of my head what if it was Joey, she was so nice to babysit for me.

I decided to skip the next day and stay at home and figure things out I didn’t want to call the police I had to take matters in my own hands unless I wanted it all going into the media. Briiiiing briiiiiing briiiing the home phone went off “hello” I greeted, ”hi its Joey I-uh was just at the spa and dialed the wrong number bye!” she replied she sounded nervous and jumpy. Now that made me suspicious, I didn’t give her my home phone number. So far the only physical clue is the ring, Nate could be right, why would she go through the trouble of going on the stairs? But what makes me suspicious is how she was overly friendly on the subway, she didn’t know who I was even though she works for me, and she has my home phone even though I gave her my cell maybe I should forgive Nat- Briiiiing briiiiiing briiiing the home phone went off again, who was this I hardly gave my home phone out. “Hello?” I greeted warily, “is this Katrina Block?” some mysterious voice demanded,”y-yes this is, w-who is this?” I asked stuttering, “that is not for you to know just be sure if you want to see your precious Katy again bring $2.5 million and don’t say you don’t have it I’m closer than you think, oh and don’t worry about Katy she’s fine but she will not be if you don’t bring me my money, and 1 more thing come alone without the police” said the mysterious voice that seemed to sound more and more like a woman’s. “ok ill bring it, when and where?” I asked, “Old mattress factory behind 5th at six tomorrow”, with that, the person hung up. As much as I felt like crying I needed to stay strong and figure out a plan I would give them the money easily but I felt the need to go armed just in case, I looked around but the most fatal object was a Swiss army knife, it was a bit reckless to use if they were armed with guns. I needed someone’s advice but the closest person to me was Joey. I made my way to the office Nate was there talking to Joey sounding a bit aggravated, I made my way towards them “hi Joey, can I talk to you privately?” I asked ignoring Nate completely. “go ahead just don’t forget what I said last night” he reminded me how could I forget, he went and sat down on the couches pretending to be interested in a magazine.”Hey, Kat”,”hi I found your ring on the stairs” I handed the ring back,”oh um-yeah thanks” she said looking regretful, guilty, and flustered. ”so, what’s up?” I asked, “just been working all day, and whatever Nate says about the breakup isn’t true, I did break up with him but I did it because he cheated” she replied quickly. Interesting, Nate told me to stay away from Joey and vice-versa, but when Joey called right before the kidnapper she was at the spa but now she says she was here all day. ”ok well I have to tell you something” I told her the whole story but without mine or Nate’s suspicion, I felt like I could rely on her. when I was done with the story she didn’t look surprised I was actually astonished because if that sort of thing happened to your friend you would be angry, the day continued and I worked trying to keep my mind off Katy. The next day rolled around and I was terrified I made my way to the warehouse it was 6:00 sharp and the sun was just setting and it gave a dark and eerie glow in the back alleys of New York, with my Swiss army of course. I made my way to the heavy metal doors and pushed them open I was enveloped in darkness, the doors slammed shut. It was a big warehouse, dark and cold. “Hello there ‘Kat’, do you have my money, bring it over?” the same voice that was on the phone called, she was still hidden by the shadows of the tall rows of boxes. “Yes, just give me Katy” I called back. The lights turned on and there were about 10 big muscular guys and in the middle of them was Joey holding Katy, I should have known, Nate was right everything was falling into place, the only question was why? “JOANNE! Give my Katy I have the money” venom dripping from my words as I walked over to her and handed a man the briefcase and tried to grab Katy, “give.her.to.me” I said trying to keep my voice calm. “Now, now did you really think I would just hand her to you so you can run around telling the police? We’ll need to take care of you two, boys go ahead” she commanded. She turned around to give the briefcase to a man in a black suit who looked powerful and quite calm about the scene going on infront of him I didn’t realize was there all this time, their guns were pointed to Katy and me. “Not her, just me. please” I pleaded. They were just about to press the trigger when a voice commanded a voice to familiar “put your guns down” Nate. I didn’t even know He could fight but wow was I wrong he took them down easily, and called the police. I ran up to Nate with Katy in my arms and hugged him I told him how sorry I was, he accepted and we were about to exit the building.

The police came and took us to the station for questioning. Once all of the questions were over the chief came over and told us the whole story. Joey’s husband died one year ago and was in a gang at the time, he owed the gang big time. The only way Joey could be at rest was if they brought me to the gang leader (the man in the suit) and gave the money to him. In order to do this they lured me with Katy It all made sense, that’s why she was so upset when I asked her about her ring, the ring was in the stairs because if she came from the elevator I could be in their while she was still with Katy, and the day when I got Joey’s call, the first one was an accident because she called from her cell phone. All of them were arrested with 10 years in prison. Keep your enemies close and your friends even closer. = =