Train in Vain (Stand by Me) // The Clash

A week goes by and I don't hear from Colleen. I stay close to home even with the freeze out from next door. She won't talk to me, but she can't stop me from keeping an eye on her.

"Dad, did you do something dumb?" Katie pops into my office where I'm checking my security cameras which I now do like clockwork. Of course, I have every exterior angle of my property covered. Scrolling through hours of footage to check for any sign of Rosshole has kept me busy. With Colleen shutting me out, I've needed the distraction.

"What do you mean?" I ask my daughter while running through the backyard footage from last night. Nothing so far.

"You're over here in your security cave and Colleen is over there crying."

I whip my head to Katie. "She's what?" I stand from my chair and start marching toward the front door.

"Well, she's not crying now but I have a feeling she was crying earlier."

I stop my forward motion to look at my daughter. "What makes you think so?" My heart races, wondering if something happened. If Ross made contact with her over the phone. I didn't stoop to tapping into her email or cell reception but maybe I should have.

"She keeps a trash can next to her. It was loaded with tissues and her eyes were red and puffy." Katie shrugs before half skipping, half dancing out of the room. "She's watching sad movies. I'm going over to see if she'll pop popcorn and add M&M's."

I track my daughter with my eyes as she skips to the door, frozen in place as my mind spins with this new information.

"But if you did something dumb, you should fix it. Duh," she adds to the end of her statement while rolling her eyes.

My jaw drops as Katie bounces out the door. I shake myself back to the present when the lock snicks shut. Katie's right. I did something dumb. But I don't know how to fix it. I'm positive Ross is someone to be concerned about. Especially because he fell off my radar as soon as he was released from the cops at the bar. The main reason for Colleen's irritation with me is my focus on his activities. But that's not going to stop until he's under control.

Instead of groveling, which is what I know Katie thinks I should be doing, I call Frank. Again. I've been single minded over Ross and his whereabouts the past five days, and I'm willing to bet Frank's about done with me. He can join the fucking club.

"What now," he says immediately.

No brotherly greeting, which I've worn out at this point. Yeah, he's done.

"Anything new?"

I hear his deep sigh at the question I've asked countless times over the week. I can picture him rolling his eyes or pinching his fingers between them.

"No." Another deep breath. "I'm aware of the situation. I know you're concerned. I've been worried about his movements as well. But I have to say, the seventeen thousand calls and texts every day are leaning on the obsessive side."

I sit my ass on the couch, both shamed and irritated. Because I know I'm not overreacting. I know something is going on. I'd bet my life on it. I basically have, losing Colleen in the process. Keeping her safe is my biggest concern. But the longer Ross is in hiding, the more people in my circle blow him off. It's complacency that will get her hurt. It's when you drop your guard that shit goes down, and I refuse to be caught off guard.

"If being obsessed is what it takes, that's what I'll do." I lean back. "Frank, are you telling me that if Misty had some unstable ex, suspiciously making his way across the country to her town, you wouldn't be watching out for him, putting everyone on notice? Using every single resource at your disposal to keep her safe?"

"You bet his ass he would!" Misty's voice rings from another part of their house.

"Am I on speaker?" I hiss. Not that I said anything confidential, but he should warn a person.

"Sorry." The background sounds quiet as Frank changes the setting. Then I hear his muffled voice call out to Misty to pipe down. She's loud enough without being on speaker for me to hear her tell him he knew what he was getting when he started dating her and that she isn't about to pipe down now.

These two give me a headache.

Frank clears his throat before coming back on the line.

"Listen, I'm not saying I wouldn't do everything in my power to help my girl if I was worried about her safety. I would, of course. Just, calm down on the check ins is all I'm saying. I'll let you know the second something comes up."

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and nod. The relief is minor, but it helps.

"My gut is telling me to watch for him."

"I get it. I do."

"It's the complete disappearance that has me strung out. He's hiding for a reason. And it isn't because he's scared. He's changed his original plan because I interrupted him. Threw down the threats he knows I'll follow through with."

Frank grunts his acknowledgement. "He'll be sloppy this time."

"That's what I'm expecting. Something more unhinged than he had planned because he's had to go off script." I groan. "Fuck! I want this bastard back on my radar. I hate working blind."

"Then work smarter. You've got surveillance set up on the perimeter. You've got alarms set for movement. We have last known location. What you need is bait."

"I'm not using Colleen."

"I wasn't referring to her. She's not the only person in town he has a history with."

I perk up at Frank's words. "Damn it, I hadn't thought of asking him." Zack. Ross was his nemesis, the catalyst for him to train in Karate and earn a blackbelt. In a weird way, if Ross hadn't targeted Zack in school causing him to become a martial arts expert, he wouldn't have met Brianna and I never would have met Colleen. It's strange the twists and turns life takes.

"Talk to him. See if he can make a move to draw Ross out of hiding. Then you'll have your opening."

"I'll get back to you with a plan."

"I'll be waiting."

I end the call with Frank and immediately pull up Zack's contact. I dive right in the second he answers.

"I need you to bait Ross out of hiding."

"Well, hello to you, too, Sunshine."

"Yeah, yeah. Are you available? I'd rather have this talk in person." I start gathering my keys and wallet.

"Hang on. Deep breath. Give me more context."

"You are home from the tour now, so you've got the time and you're in the right location. Namely, Hollywood. Ross dropped off our radar the night I got arrested."

"About that. You know Brianna had her lawyers working on that. And your tech team spent half their time scrubbing the story, right?"

My sigh is deep. "I know. Sorry to utilize her resources, but I had to go with my gut."

I don't want to continue hashing this out over the phone so I redirect the conversation.

"Are you at the house or the studio?"

"Studio. Char and I are reviewing tour notes."

"I'll be there in 20." I'd be there sooner but first I need to check on Katie next door with Colleen and see if it's okay for Katie to stay there while I'm gone. Which will put me right in Colleen's path, but I can't worry about her reaction right now.

After gathering what I need to take with me, I head out the door and knock on Colleen's. I shake my head, remembering when I was welcomed here. Wondering if that will ever be the case again.

The door opens to a bouncing Katie.

"Did you come over to tell her you're sorry for being dumb?" She's all smiles when she asks.

I rub the back of my neck. "Not exactly. I'm running to the studio to talk with Zack for a bit. Are you okay to stay here?"

Katie smirks. "Don't know. You'll have to ask Colleen."

Damn, this kid. When did she get so sassy?

"Fine." I lean in and peek around the door.

"No, Dad. Come all the way in." Katie rolls her eyes, grabs me by the arm and pulls me over the threshold. "Colleen? My dad needs to ask you something."

Colleen steps out of the kitchen and into the main space looking wide eyed and expectant. Katie was right. Her eyes do look a little red and puffy. She's disheveled all over, actually. More than I remember her being before. Her hair is pulled back in some kind of messy loop with strands sticking out every which way. She's in her leggings and workout shirt that drive me crazy and I half wonder which color underwear she chose for the day.

"Um, I have to go meet with Zack at the studio. Okay if Katie sticks around here while I'm gone?"

Colleen crosses her arms. "Are you sure she'll be safe here?" She throws a pointed look my way, an undercurrent of irritation in her tone.

"Yeah. Should be." What I don't say is that I've got a monitoring system set up. Not inside. I wouldn't engage in that kind of voyeurism. But with the number of exterior monitors and motion alerted notifications I have set up, I'll be ready if something happens.

Plus, I've got The Kid doing drive-bys on the hour.

"Well, sure. She's always welcome here." My answer seems to soften something in Colleen. But I don't miss her unspoken message. My daughter may be welcome in her home, but I'm certainly not.

"Okay, then. I'll be back soon, Bug," I say to Katie before giving Colleen one last look. The memory of our last conversation hangs in the air. The one where I shouted that I loved her, and she burst into tears.

By the looks of it, she's been crying ever since. I feel like a grade A dick.

If it wasn't for the strongest gut-instinct I've ever had about a guy being bad news, I'd back down. I'd do whatever Colleen wanted. But I can't because I know I'm not wrong. Even if everyone thinks I've gone off the deep end.

I couldn't live with myself if anything happens to her, so I nod and smile one final time before heading off to Brianna's studio to set a trap for a rat.

I can only pray that we catch him this time.

This chapter might get some updates throughout the week. I feel like some of the scenes need expanding, maybe more surveillance details, a few more parts to the Colleen interaction...we'll see.

And the big day is tomorrow! We'll be headed out for a solid 15 hours of traveling and hopefully finding some sleep here and there before we reach our destination. I'm planning to do some writing as we travel but as I stated last week, updates may be more random or possibly late due to connection to wifi. I'll do my best!

Thanks again for reading, and if any of you signed up for my newsletter hoping for bonus content soon, IT'S HERE!! I wrote 3k words of a bonus scene between Brax and Savanna that has all of the Inevitable feels you could hope for. Anyone ever wonder what a meet up between Brax and Savanna's ex (Mark) would look like? Let's just say, you have your chance to find out 😏 Sign up for my newsletter and you'll get to read it!

Thanks to @Emiloo for your The Clash mention in last chapters comments! It put them back on my radar for this little gem 🥰🥰

https://youtu.be/aUzBgeI5dpc

Thanks for reading!