Jail's Bait: Time Served (Book 5)

Trey and Danny sat near the ER nurse’s desk, waiting for an update on Lamar’s surgery, which seemed like it kept going on and on and on.  “I wonder what’s going on with the rest of the family,” Trey murmured as he stretched.

“I hope they find Jake and get that issue straightened out,” Danny sighed.  “The boy needs to get to know his father, regardless of the stunts he’s pulled.”

“Well, you know what happened when I first met my grown son,” Trey said then; “it didn’t turn out quite like I’d hoped.”

“Not like anyone hoped, actually,” Danny replied wryly; “I think we’re still paying for you meeting Robbie.” He sighed.  “I hope it goes better for Malik.  Realizing that you have to contend with a grown son meeting you for the first time isn’t an easy undertaking.”

“Yeah, especially if the first thing that grown son does afterwards is shoot his own father.” Trey added archly.

“At least we don’t have to worry about that,” Danny said with a nervous chuckle- “I don’t think Jake is that malicious; he’s just angry and confused.  We can reach him, its not too late-”

But the ER silence was suddenly broken by a wailing and sudden flashing lights above the reception desk, and over the speakers came the following:  ‘Incoming trauma patients:  Any available doctors and nurses to the ER loading dock..’

Danny and Trey looked up in surprised interest as a group of nurses and doctors came running from the back and rushed through the swinging doors.  “What do you think’s going on..?” Trey asked curiously.

“Wouldn’t it be the cherry on the cake if that was to do with our families,” Danny chuckled wryly.

Trey and Danny looked at each other then- and the instinct borne of their police training made their eyes widen in horror.  “You don’t think…” Trey started to say…

As one they jumped to their feet and went towards the swinging doors as they burst open.

“Of course,” Danny said darkly as four gurneys were wheeled in, followed by most of the Hill family and friends.  “My god, is that Robbie..?” Trey asked, looking over towards one of the gurneys.  

“What is all this,” he asked Marquette, grabbing her arm as she passed by.

“Oh, hi Officer Dan,” she said sorrowfully, just noticing him.

“Im actually a Detective now,” he corrected her.  and I don’t know if anyone mentioned this to you, but this is Trey, Marquis's grandfather and RahRah’s long-lost dad.

“What happened,” Trey asked her; “Robbie is okay, isn’t he..?”

She seemed to hear what he said, but she was absently staring after the gurneys.  Her face was pale and wan.  “Is my son going to be okay,” Trey asked again, gently.  “Was he badly wounded?”

“It was horrible,” she began, telling him of the events that transpired in the cave.

After she finished, Marquette patted them both on the arm and went to check on those who were just admitted.  Danny and Trey just stood there, silently digesting it all- then again as one they flopped down in the nearest chairs, and just sat there.  “How is it possible that after all these years that I could still be surprised at any of the Hill family secrets..?” Danny asked, numb-like.

“I agree,” Trey said with a shell-shocked nod; “the fact that I was one of those Hill family secrets notwithstanding, of course.”

Danny patted Trey’s arm kindly.  “So, it appears that you’re the one who’s a grandfather- again.”

“And it also appears that my new grandson met his father the same way my son met me,” Trey said with a sigh.  “You sort of hope some family traditions don’t get handed down, you know..?”  And with that he wiped a corner of his eye.  “And let’s not forget my eldest grandson’s having a baby- if the baby is still okay, that is,” he added somberly.

“I wish you had been there,” Danny replied then; “maybe you could have stopped all this.”

“No, it would have still happened,” Trey said then; “Jake still had that gun.  We would have all wound up here at the hospital anyway.”

“Why does it always seem that when the Hill family goes to the hospital that it’s never a solo project,” Danny said, lowering his head into his hands.

“I was wondering that myself,” said a voice.

Trey and Danny looked up- there before them stood Marquis, his clothes all spattered with blood.  “Were you hurt too, Marquis..?” Trey asked, jumping to his feet.

“No, Granpa,” Marquis replied blankly; “this is Leo’s blood.”

Trey immediately pulled Marquis to his chest, hugging his grandson tightly.  “I’m so sorry about your pet,” Trey murmured.

“Leo was one of a kind,” Marquis replied, tears filling his eyes once again.  “I needed to make sure that Animal Control came and took him away, then I had forms to fill out.  I kind of lost it when it happened,” he confessed, “and I almost murdered Jake.  Strangled him within an inch of his life.  That’s why he’s here in the ER.”

“Oh my god,” Danny whispered.  “Listen, Marquis, we all go a little… mad sometimes, and the point is that you stopped yourself in time.”

“Well, my dad stopped me, just before he went unconscious,” Marquis said then.  “ ‘Don’t kill your brother’…” Marquis shook his head, stupefied.  “I can’t believe that the guy who set up my best friend, kidnapped my girlfriend and unborn child, stole my family’s fortune and then shot my father is actually my little brother.”

“We thought the same way about RahRah once, remember,” Danny reminded him; “and look how that turned out.  You guys actually re-bonded.”

“Yeah, well I’d like to bond my foot up Jake’s ass, that’s for sure,” Marquis grumbled.

“It’s never really easy between brothers,” Danny said clinically.  “Look at my brother, Lionel; he broke up my marriage, took my wife, and might have possibly fathered my only son.  But we still made a relationship out of stone soup, didn’t we...?”

“And look at me,” Trey said; “my older brother planned to shut me up in the West wing for good, and my twin brother’s been sleeping with my only love for the last three years.  But I’m still willing to patch it all up…”

Marquis looked at the two of them skeptically.  “I don’t think your examples actually helped me feel better about my situation, guys,” he sighed.

“Marquis!!”

Striding over to the men were Angelina, the twins, Ranell, and Marquette returned with them as well.  Off in another corner, Jacqueline sat alone, absently waving fans away while waiting for word on her son.

Danny leaned over to Trey.  “I’m really your only love...?”

Trey only smiled in reply, a smile made Danny’s heart melt.

Meanwhile, Angelina was wordlessly hugging Marquis, then she pulled back.  “I’m so sorry about Leo,” she replied with tears of sympathy in her eyes, patting his cheek.  “I know you felt like he was more than a pet, more like one of the crew.”  Marquette silently put one arm around her son.

“I had to call animal control, and wait for them to come for… him.” he sighed.  “My heart is broken,” Marquis replied simply, “but I’m through the worst of it.  What’s going on with Carmen and the baby?”

“Carmen and the baby are fine,” Angelina reassured him; “she did get hit in the stomach, but apparently your kid’s a tough little fella; the doctors only want to keep her for a few hours on fluids, just to be sure.”

“And my dad..?” Marquis asked.

“They took him to surgery.  The bullet hit an artery, missed everything else and passed on through,” Marquette spoke up then.

“And Kap?”

Angelina nodded.  “He only tore open his stitches, and they had to be redone.  He has to stay overnight and they doped him up, but he seems to be fine- he keeps trying to get up and finish beating up Jake,” she added with a grin.

Marquis hesitated.  “And what about… that other one..?”

Angelina looked at Marquis.  “Seems like your newfound brother suffered axphixiation and he has a strained larynx.  He’s on oxygen and fluids.  He hasn’t spoken since he awoke, for some reason,” she added wryly.

Marquis turned towards the twins.  “I hear congratualtions are in order,” he smiled; “whats this I’m hearing about you two being my second cousins..?”

“Looks like it,” they said as one, and both girls hugged him.

Ranell smiled.  “If only Tyrell had lived to see this day…”

“Dad would’ve loved all the drama,” Tyra agreed sadly.

“I’m sad to say that you’re right,” Ranell smiled quietly.   “Tyrell would have tried to stir up the pot even more.”

“Good God,” Marquis said with a shudder; “no offense,” he added to his new great-aunt.

“None taken,” Ranell replied softly, patting him on the arm.

“Marquis, why don’t you just sit down for a while,” Marquette suggested kindly.

“In a moment.  Ma, you know what I’d like for you to do for me,” Marquis replied wearily.

“Whatever you want, baby,” Marquette soothed.

“There’s enough sibling anger going on in this family,” Marquis said; “why don’t you go see if you and your sister can patch it up..?”

“Anything but that,” Marquette replied with a dark cast.  “Some wounds run too deep.  She lied to me about something major, then took off and cut all ties with us for almost twenty years.  Why would I want to patch it up with her..?”

“Because,” Marquis replied, “if I am to hold on to any reason why I shouldn’t go down the hall and finish what I started, someone’s going to have to show me the power of forgiveness up close and personal.  If you and Auntie Bitch-eline can make amends, then maybe one day I can stomach talking to Jake again.”

“Well, first off, if you really want to learn about amends, you can’t be calling your aunt a bitch,” she said then fondly; “and in any event, she’s my sister… calling her a bitch is my job.”  And with that she kissed her son on the cheek and strode over to where her sister sat alone.

“What did you just do,” Danny asked Marquis.

“I think he started Chick-Fight part 2,” Angelina replied archly.  “Marquette almost tore off Jacqueline’s head back at the cave….”

* * * * * *

Marquette, on approaching Jacqueline from behind, noticed with surprise that the supermodel was quietly wiping her eyes.  Sympathy welled up in Marquette, and she reached out to touch her sister on the arm- which got snatched away with a quick defenseiveness.  “Hey, I don’t bite,” Marquette replied.

Jackie looked at her sister, her eyes guarded.  “I’m not in the mood right now for you smacking me again, Marquette.  I’ll have to make you remember that we come from the same hood.”

“Stand down, Jackie,” Marquette said.  “I’m over here holding out a white flag.”

“You mean to tell me, after you just found out that I slept with your man and had his baby and lied about it for twenty years, you still want to make peace..?” Jackie replied with a dubious look.

Marquette nodded.  “I have to set an example as Marquis’s mother.  We are family, and we should make peace.”

Jackie looked at her sister.  “You want Marquis to offer the olive branch to Jacques, don’t you..?” she asked shrewdly.

“Don’t you want the two brothers to reconcile?” Marquette asked mildly.

“Why should my son make peace..?  He was almost murdered by his own brother.  Your son should have the mark of Cain branded on his forehead,” Jackie spat.

Marquette held up a hand of caution.  “He set this family up to steal their money right out from under them.  He held a pregnant girl carrying his own unborn neice or nephew at gunpoint.  He killed his brother’s pet, which had been in the family for years.  And you call Jake the victim..?”

Jackie frowned.  “I-I don’t understand you, Marquette.  Why all this peacemaker shit?  This can’t be just about showing Marquis how to make friends…?”

Marquette hesiatated.  “You’re right, Jackie.  You’re my little sister.  We’re not getting any older, and its time that Maman and Papa let you and your son back into their home.”

Jackie gave a start at Marquette, and then she stood to her feet.  “No, you lie.  Papa is so stubborn, he will never forgive me for choosing Grand-Pere over him…”

Marquette smiled knowingly.  “Our whole family is so stubborn.  Someone has to make the first move- and you will.  Walk with me to see Papa, hand in hand.  I know that you and Maman keep in touch.”

Jackie gasped.  “How do you know this?”

“She’s a mother.  I’m a mother.”

Jackie realized that as a mother herself, there would be no way even she could let too much time go by without checking up on her son… “I haven’t been much of a mother,” she replied then; “Jacques and I can hardly bear to be in the same room.”

“Why is that?” Marquette asked.

Jackie stared out of the window, then sighed.  “When he was old enough to ask, I wouldn’t tell him about RahRah.  I was still too ashamed, but he thought I was being selfish and keeping him all to myself.  As the years went on he got older, more sophisticated ideas… like when he started to believe that I didn’t tell him because I was too much of a slut to know who I was sleeping with.  That’s when he started losing respect for me.”

“How old was he?”

“Around eleven, twelve.  After that he went through all of high school not really talking to me at all, his dislike for me growing.  Fate stepped in when he was sixteen.  If I hadn’t cancelled a photo shoot due to a headache, I wouldn’t have been home and he never would have caught me crying while I was watching E-TV; the famous grad party for Marquis Hill and his friends was being televised.”

“You were watching that night..?” Marquette asked, mildly surprised.

Jackie nodded.  “When I saw you and Lamar and Marquis get out of those limos I teared up; it was a reminder of a time when I was part of it, as your sister, Lamar’s girl... My son saw me cry; he had never seen me so un-poised.  This made Jacques curious, and I refused to answer his questions- so, clever child that he is, he wound up getting a copy of the program and he studied it.”

“That’s when he found out who Marquis and I were, huh?” Marquette asked wisely.

Jackie nodded.  “He confronted me and I confessed to who you and Marquis were to us.  From that moment on he was obsessed with Marquis and everything about him; the more he learned about the Hill family, the stronger became his assumption that one of the men near Marquis just might be his father also.  I tried to dissuade him from thinking that, but the ring of truth in the theory was too strong, or so he would argue.  I stopped talking about it again, trying to come up with something else to occupy his mind.  So I began training him on how to run a con.”

“How’s that for responsible parenting…?” Marquette snorted sarcastically.

“Listen, I was desperate,” Jackie tried to defend herself.  “I never thought that training him to run a scam would backfire on me and all of you; it was just a hobby for us to use to laugh at other rich people.”

Marquette shook her head.  “Well, behold your creation.  As for your relationship with Jake- it may never be 100 percent, but at least you two can start building a bridge.”  She reached out and placed her hand on Jackie’s hand in sympathy.

Jackie smiled gratefully at her sister.  “I’ll go sit by my son’s bed until he wakes up.”  And she patted her hand on Marquette’s hand, and then headed for the exam room that held Jake.

* * * * * *

Carmen lay fully dressed on the gurney that had brought her in, dully watching the IV drip which fed into her arm, ostensibly replenishing her fluids.  There was a oxygen mask across her noseline, helping her to inhale pure cool air- which she felt was totally unnecessary, of course.

The door swung open to reveal Angelina, Danielle, and Marquis, who trooped in.  Marquis went up to Carmen and hugged her.  “Are you okay?” he murmured, bowing his head into her hair.

“I’m fine, Key.  And the baby is okay too,” she smiled, sounding muffled through her O2 mask..

He smiled back wistfully.  “That’s good.”

Carmen’s eyes clouded over.  “I’m so sorry about Leo, he really worshipped you.”

His eyes misted over.  “Thanks, Animal control will call me when they arrange to bury him.”

Carmen looked at Marquis for a moment.  “Are you okay with all this?” she asked, indicating her stomach.

Marquis looked down at her for a moment.  “Of course, I’m onboard.  And I promise you I won’t be a deadbeat dad.  This kid is the heir to the Hill fortune-”

“Uhhh, you guys don’t have a fortune anymore.  Jake stole it,” Carmen reminded her boyfriend.

Marquis grimaced.  “He’ll give it back, he only took it to get attention.”

“You sound sure about that,” Carmen said archly.

Marquis shrugged.  “Hanging around him all this time, I can at least admit part of the real him came through more often than not… and I know he’s really bored with money.  More money would make him more bored.  It was never about the money; Jake really only wants a father.”

“You don’t sound as angry as I thought you would be,” Carmen mused.

“Baby girl, I’m extremely angry with Jake.  What he did to you, to Kap, to Angel… to Leo….” He swallowed.  “I mean, I just tried my best to murder him.  But goddamit, he’s my brother; I’m forcing myself to try and see his point of view.”

“Because family is super important to you,” Carmen said knowingly.  “Well, just to let you know- when he found out I was pregnant he tried his best not to hurt me.  Terrify me, make empty threats- yeah, he was all about that.  But he tried to get me water, and he made sure the cuff wasn’t tight, and he and I talked about why he was doing all this.  I think I had almost gotten through when he heard you all talking outside…”

“So he was a nice sociopath,” Angelina scowled.  “He drugged me, remember?”

“But even you said it was just a regular sedative- it only worked so fast cause he injected it right into your arm instead of an IV drip.  He wasn’t trying to kill you either,” Carmen argued.

“I just wanna crack his spine- just a little,” Angelina said then, holding up her thumb and forefinger to measure.

“I still can’t believe that Jake is your brother- which, of course, makes him our cousin, too,” Danielle said with a surprised look.

“How do you think I feel,” Marquis said; “my whole life I thought I was an only child, and now I find out I’m brothers with the Marquis de Sade.”

“Have you gone to see him?” Angelina asked Marquis.  

“I’m not ready for that,” he replied honestly, shaking his head.  “I’m on my way to see Kap.  Is he conscious, Angel?”

“He’s awake,” she replied; “his room is just down the hall.”

“Yeah, and you’d better get in there, Marquis,” Tyra said as she walked into the room, “cause I just saw Melo headed down that way.”

The young man’s eyes darkened.  “I’ll be right back,” Marquis said then, turning around- and with a whoosh, he was gone.

“Melo must be on some real stalker junk to still be sniffing around Kap,” Danielle said with a frown.

Carmen stared after her boyfriend.  “Well, Marquis has been trying to hold back his rage at Jake since they’re brothers now- but he won’t have that problem with Melo…”

“Ooooohhhhhhhh…..” the twins said in unison.

* * * * * *

RahRah opened his eyes to see Marcus, Malik and Marquette standing over him. “Welcome back to the living,” Marquette smiled.

“Where’s my son,” he asked with a rasp.

“He’s down the hall, looking in on Carmen and the baby,” Marquette replied then; “he should be by-”

“No, I mean- cough-cough- I mean Jake,” RahRah said, covering his mouth from the coughing fit.  “Water-”

“Here you go,” Marcus said, “handing RahRah a fresh cup.”

RahRah took it and sipped some, handing the cup back to his lover.  “Thanks,” he whispered gratefully, turning then to Malik.  “Jake..?”

“He’s in another exam room a few doors down,” Malik replied; his mother is with him.

“That bitch,” RahRah spat; “help me up, yall.  I have to go to him.”

“He’s still unconscious,” Malik said then.  “Marquis nearly killed him.”

Marquette nodded.  “Yeah, if you hadn’t asked Marquis to stop, “if he hadn’t heard you-”

“What, did I say that out loud..?” RahRah asked with a frown.  “I thought I dreamt it, me yelling to Marquis to spare his brother’s life.”

“We all heard you,” Marcus said; “Marquis looked at you like you were on drugs, then he pulled himself off Jake’s body and went back over to his pet.”

“Ahhh, man,” RahRah groaned; “I think that Marquis was as much in love with Leo as he is with Carmen and Kap.  He’s got to be devastated…”

“He is,” Marquette agreed sadly; “but he’s trying to hold it all together.”

“I’ll send Marquis this way if I see him,” Malik said then, reaching over to pat RahRah on the leg.  “I’ll be in the OR wating room.”

“Any news on Lamar then..?”

“Danny told me they were just about finished, no problems yet,” Malik said, staring off into space.

“What happens when he wakes up and realizes that yall went through with the surgery on him, without his consent..?” RahRah asked, his eyes narrowed.

“We’ll cross that bridge,” Malik said, brushing the subject aside.  “I’ll send word after they send Lamar to Recovery.”  And with that he left the room.

“I’ll go see if I can find Marquis,” Marquette said then, leaning over to kiss RahRah on the cheek, and then she was gone, leaving RahRah and Marcus alone.

“Are you okay, baby,” Marcus said, also leaning over to kiss RahRah.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” RahRah said; “we should talk about your brother, though.”

“What do you mean,” Marcus said with a slight frown; “what about Melo...?”

“It seems that your brother is causing some trouble for my son,” RahRah said, a bit icy.

“Hey, weren’t you the one who asked me to stay out of things,” Marcus defended; “and by the way, my brother can’t help who he falls in love with.”

“He can help having drugged people into having sex with him,” RahRah said then, “which is, by the way, how all this started.  They wouldn’t have ever been manipulated-”

“By YOUR son,” Marcus interrupted; “who seems to have started all this out of sheer irritation.  You can’t compare what Melo did to what Jake has done.”

“I’m not trying to,” RahRah said- then he looked at Marcus, his eyes softened.  “You know what,” he said then, reaching up to cup Marcus’s chin with one hand.  “You’re right, I’m being a hypocrite.  We need to stay out of their lives and let them work it out.”

“And if it works out that Melo gets with Kap in the end..?” Marcus asked askance.

“Then I’ll wish em well,” RahRah responded.  “And you’ll do the same if Marquis and Kap stay together..?”

“I’ll be the first to throw them a dinner party at our place when everyone’s well,” Marcus promised.

RahRah’s eyebrows arched.  “So you’re moving in with me, eh?” he grinned.

“Well, you need someone to look after you,” Marcus murmured, leaning down to kiss RahRah’s lips again.

RahRah pulled back.  “I’ll kiss you, on one condition.”

Marcus grinned back.  “Okay, anything.”

“Help me out of this bed- I want to see Jake…”