LOVE LIKE HIS - Chapter 13 - Phone Calls - An Original Story by @papa-pepper
CHAPTER 13 - PHONE CALLS
Ray has already broken out in a cold sweat. He listens as the ringing continues.
Though he has no idea how he will start the conversation if she answers, but he’s almost more terrified about leaving a message if she doesn’t answer. Ms. Shield’s phone suddenly stops.
Ray anxiously awaits his next move.
“Hello? This is Ms. Shields.”
“Uhh…” Ray is caught off guard and hesitates. “Hey Ms. Shields, this is Ray Foster. How are you doing this afternoon?”
“I am quite well, Mr. Foster. What is the purpose of this call?”
“I was just calling to check in…” Ray starts, but pauses.
Ms. Shields must be preoccupied again, and begins to get frustrated by this conversation already.
“Mr. Foster, you know that you have no need to call me prior to our next meeting unless you have had some sort of contact with a law enforcement official. Anything else can wait until our next meeting.”
“Well, that’s why I am calling you. I had some contact.”
“What was the nature of the contact, Mr. Foster?” the probation officer asks. Her tone has gone from annoyed to solemn, and the seriousness in her voice is unnerving Ray.
“I have no idea! The detective just showed up at my apartment and wanted to ask me some questions.”
“Questions about what…” she begins to ask, but cuts herself short and changes her mind. “Ray, I’m going to need you to come in and talk to me.”
Ray goes pale. After all he’s been through in prison, he’s still having such a hard time with this situation. There’s just too many variables. Probation can throw him back in if they see fit. This detective is coming up to him without any reason. He’s not supposed to have any law enforcement contact. Gary is proving that everything he told him while he was still inside was not a lie, yet doubts are coming in from every direction.
It’s only been a few days, but the activity is overwhelming. Ray is definitely not used to this much variety, and the open-ended questions of life are endless. Too many variables!
Will he still be a free man tomorrow?
Will the detective charge him and arrest him?
Will Ms. Shields revoke his probation?
Will the judge send him back in or extend his probation?
Will he even get to go to work?
Rays head is racing, and his breath is becoming panicked.
Did you hear me Mr. Foster?
“Yes. Yes, M’am, I did.”
“Well I expect you to be here within the hour.”
The phone clicks.
Well, Ray has done the right thing, he notified her. However, he’s having a hard time dealing with the unknown. It’s in God’s hands now. Ray just has to trust Him, right? Ray bows his head to pray.
No sooner has he closed his eyes, folded his hands, and bowed his head, when he is interrupted.
“RIIIIIING!”
The phone’s sharp shrill cuts through the silence of Ray’s apartment. Ray doesn’t move.
“RIIIIIIIING!”
Ray does not want to answer it. Is it Ms. Shields again? Cromwell? Gary? Those really are the only options.
“RIIIIIIIIING!”
Hesitantly, he lifts the receiver, and forgets to verbally acknowledge the caller. It takes a moment for the caller to respond to the lack of rings.
“Hello, Ray?”
Thankfully, it’s Gary’s voice on the other end.
“Oh, Gary! I’m so glad that it’s you!” The emotion of sheer relief rapidly flows through the words of Ray's sentences.
“Why, Ray? What’s going on?” Ray’s relief spurs Gary’s intrigue.
“Nothing, I’m just struggling. I just got off the phone with Ms. Shields, because I had to call her since I talked to the detective. She wants me to come in, and I’m kind of scared.”
“That’s understandable. Both that you are nervous about and that she wants you to come in. She’ll be able to read you better if you’re in her office, and evaluating how you behave during such a conversation just helps her do her job better.”
“I know, I guess I am just concerned because of all that has been happening with Detective Cromwell, and how that may look. I think it would be easier if I actually did something, but this is difficult.”
“I know how you must feel Ray, and I do not envy your position, but I was actually calling you about Detective Cromwell.” The compassion is Gary’s voice makes a distinct change to deep concern, which only adds to Ray’s uneasiness.
“What is it? Did he talk to you again?” Ray anxiously seeks an answer to this question at least.
“Ray, he put a gun to my head and threatened to pull the trigger.”
The phone slips out of Ray’s hand and smacks the vinyl flooring.
Gary can only assume what the noise was and patiently awaits a reply.
Ray stoops and picks up his phone. He is now past anxious and nervous and has slid into a bewildered state.
“What did you say, Gary?” Another desperate question in a time of too many questions lacking answers.
“You heard me, Ray. He asked to talk to me again, and by the end of the conversation he was threatening to send me home to Jesus.”
“Gary!” Rays gasps, his eyes now as wide as saucers. “What are we going to do?”
“Well obviously, this situation just got a whole lot more serious. He is definitely a dangerous man with a badge who has it in for us, and we need to start being really careful.”
“Somehow, I’m beginning to miss the pen,” Ray replies. “Things could get rough, but at least they were predictable. This is getting crazy, Gary!”
“I know, I know. That’s why I wanted to warn you. I’ve got a few ideas on what to do and how to handle this, but I’ll have to talk to you later tonight, Bro. For now, just get to the Probation Office and square things up with Ms. Shields.”
“Should I mention anything?” Ray seeks the advice of his dear friend.
“I wouldn’t,” Gary answers, “Just play it cool for now, and try to be vague. If I file charges right now, it won’t really help any of us. Your P.O. probably will have a hard enough time believing the rest of the story right now anyway, without adding this. It’s not really your problem anyway.”
“Gary! How is this not my problem?”
“That’s not what I meant. There is no way that you can mention this without bringing me into it, and I’d rather not say anything about it right now. I think it’ll help us more if we don’t mention anything. Plus, it could be good for the detective. We have to think about what he’s dealing with right now too, and how we may be used in his life.”
“Yeah, good point, Gary.”
“I’ll talk to you later tonight. Just get over there quickly.”
“Okay, I will,” Rays answers.
“And be careful.”
Gary hangs up the phone.
Ray pauses in a fleeting attempt to gather his thought, and bows his head once again to pray...
THE END OF CHAPTER 13
TO READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS, CLICK BELOW:
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 2: THE FUNERAL
CHAPTER 3: MONDAY, & FREEDOM
CHAPTER 4: TUESDAY
CHAPTER 5: INTERROGATION
CHAPTER 6: PROBATION
CHAPTER 7: RAY’S TURN
CHAPTER 8: ICE CREAM
CHAPTER 9: LATE NIGHT
CHAPTER 10: WRESTLING
CHAPTER 11: THURSDAY: MORE QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 12: WHAT HAPPENED?
Thank you, and stay tuned for LOVE LIKE HIS : Chapter 14 - Coming soon to a steemit near you
Also, if you enjoyed this chapter, let me know by leaving a comment! Thanks
OPERATION TRANSLATION LINK HERE
Awesome Handcrafted @papa-pepper logo kindly donated by @vlad - Thank you!
Versão em português desse post:
LOVE LIKE HIS - Capítulo 13
You have written your article so well. @papa-pepper. I throughly enjoyed it.
Thanks again!!!
Great stuff, I had somehow missed these! I will be going back and reading them!
If you start from the beginning, you'll probably never want to stop reading...
I actually started these in 2011 or 2012, and am planning on finishing them here.
Our MEME is "PRICELE$$"
It's a totally cool meme! I have read the first two, I am liking the cliffhanger aspect to the end of each!
I'm glad to hear that the story intrigues you and that you are enjoying what you read.
Thanks for letting me know.
It is very interesting. Itself when it was trying to write a love story, but in the ac even steeper. Thank you!
You are welcome.