gagengirl entertainment
Solvang 2
My phone started playing Taylor Swift’s Style while I was making lunches for the kids the next morning. I put down the knife in my hand and picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Ms. Michaels?” It was Gus Hobbs.
“Yes?”
“They’re here.”
“To tear down the trees?”
“Yes, Ms. Michaels.”
“Stall them. I’m on my way.”
Pablo had already left for work. It was a good thing my brother was still in town. I was about to put him to work. I knocked on the guest bedroom door. “Paul?”
He opened the door seconds later. “Yes?”
“Can you please get my kids to school this morning? I need to leave.”
He rubbed his face to wake himself up. “I can. Are you sure you trust me to do it?”
I nodded and rushed to the bedroom to get dressed. In a rush, I slipped on black yoga pants and a USC t-shirt. Then, I found Paul in the kitchen, dressed in jeans and a polo shirt.
He pointed at the calendar on the wall. “Why does that say no school for today?”
I looked at the lunches I had started to make on the counter. “I guess they don’t have school. Can you please clean up the kitchen for me?”
“Yes. Go take care of your emergency. I’ll handle things here.”
Fifteen minutes later, I pulled into Pearl Tarkey’s driveway. One tree was already torn down. I jumped out of my car, grabbing my purse from the passenger seat, and headed over to the trees.
Gus Hobbs was watching them.
“Where is…”
“Inside. She couldn’t watch.”
“They shouldn't be here.”
After Pablo retrieved the three numbers for me, I had reached former Senator Catherine Cheatham. I told her the story of the trees and she promised to do what she had to to stop their removal. There was no reason for that first tree to be down.
I walked toward the men doing the tree removal. “You need to stop. These trees are not supposed to be removed.”
“We have a court order to remove them.”
I took a deep breath and let it out before turning to see my ex-fiancé Kirk Graham standing near the crew. He was the opposite of Pablo. Taller by about three inches. Blonder. Jerkier.
“Kirk…”
He stepped toward me. “I should’ve known you’d show up. After you were seen on surveillance four days in a row, I knew I needed to move up my timeline.”
“Senator Cheatham…”
“Isn’t a senator anymore. She retired and has no…”
“If you think she has no pull, you must be insane. And by moving up your timeline, you’ve likely removed any chance of promotion ever again.”
He stepped closer to me. “Since when do you associate with people like this Felicia?”
I laughed at him. “People like this? Really? I’d say after I was smart enough to walk away from you.”
“You were supposed to come back.”
I shrugged. “I want to see this court order you have.”
He laughed at my request. “I don’t care what you want. I haven’t since you left.”
“Why?”
“Because we aren’t together anymore.”
“You’re tearing down Pearl Tarkey’s trees because we’re not together anymore?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Why are you tearing down her trees?”
“Because I can. The court order says so.”
I tried to count to ten to settle my growing anger with him. “Are the trees in your way of surveillance? They couldn’t be if you were able to tell that I was here four days in a row. Why are you doing this?”
“Because…”
“If you say because I can one more time, I will punch you. Is it because you know Howard Tarkey planted the trees? You’re just being vindictive? You didn’t even work the case. Is it because your mentor did? And he couldn’t bring Howard Tarkey to justice?”
Kirk came close to hitting me.
“Go ahead. That will end your career.”
He pulled his hand back. “Felicia, go home. This isn’t your concern. These trees are coming down.”
Gus Hobbs stepped closer, pulling me back. “Ms. Michaels…”
Kirk laughed. “Ms. Michaels? You know she’s married, right?”
I pulled away from him and inched closer to Kirk. “What happened to you? What happened to the man that I once loved? If you ever loved me, you won’t do this now.”
“I’m doing it because I can.”
Without thinking, my fist was in his face. Gus Hobbs pulled me back and hauled me inside the house.
“That wasn’t smart.”
I rubbed my fist. “I know. Now my hand hurts.”
Pearl Tarkey entered the room seconds later with a bag of ice. She handed the ice to me. “For you, Ms. Michaels.”
I took it from her. “I take it you were watching.”
She shrugged. “I’m done watching.”
I moved to the window and watched as they started work on the second tree. “I can’t believe I almost married him.” I put down the ice and pulled my phone out of my purse. I placed a second call to former Senator Cheatham, letting her know that the trees were being removed as we spoke.
Then, I picked up the ice and put it back on my hand. Unable to watch them working on the trees any longer, I moved over to the couch.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the front door. Gus Hobbs went over to answer it. He spoke to whoever was at the door for a few minutes before he came back to the living room for me.
“Ms. Michaels?”
“Yes?”
“Someone is here to see you.”
“To see me?”
He nodded, taking the bag of ice from me. The look on his face was one I couldn't read. He escorted me to the front door where Sheriff’s Deputy Cyrus Brink stood.
“Felicia Michaels?”
I sighed. “Cyrus.”
“Can you please step outside?”
I noticed that Kirk was no longer observing the tree removal. He had moved further up Pearl Tarkey’s property to watch Cyrus and me.
I stepped outside, certain I knew why he was there. “Cyrus, just do what you’re here to do.”
He pulled out his handcuffs, shaking his head. “You assaulted an FBI agent?”
“I punched my ex-fiancé. I warned him I’d do it and he baited me again.”
“I’m sorry, Felicia. You know I have no choice.”
I sighed. “I know. Just do it.”
As he placed the handcuffs on me, I still didn’t regret punching Kirk. I smiled with the realization that I’d do it again.
Barely ten minutes later, we were at the Sheriff’s Station. Cyrus processed me himself and then sat me down at his desk.
“You’re not going to lock me up and throw away the key?” I smiled at him, shaking my head.
He laughed. “I’m waiting for Agent Graham to change his mind about filing charges against you. From what I understand, he provoked you.” He paused. “Just so you know, Adele is out there interviewing witnesses. While she is doing that, I don’t think they’ll be tearing down any additional trees.”
I smiled, hoping the rest of the trees would be saved. “When do I get my phone call?”
Part 8
gagengirl entertainment
Solvang 2
My phone started playing Taylor Swift’s Style while I was making lunches for the kids the next morning. I put down the knife in my hand and picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Ms. Michaels?” It was Gus Hobbs.
“Yes?”
“They’re here.”
“To tear down the trees?”
“Yes, Ms. Michaels.”
“Stall them. I’m on my way.”
Pablo had already left for work. It was a good thing my brother was still in town. I was about to put him to work. I knocked on the guest bedroom door. “Paul?”
He opened the door seconds later. “Yes?”
“Can you please get my kids to school this morning? I need to leave.”
He rubbed his face to wake himself up. “I can. Are you sure you trust me to do it?”
I nodded and rushed to the bedroom to get dressed. In a rush, I slipped on black yoga pants and a USC t-shirt. Then, I found Paul in the kitchen, dressed in jeans and a polo shirt.
He pointed at the calendar on the wall. “Why does that say no school for today?”
I looked at the lunches I had started to make on the counter. “I guess they don’t have school. Can you please clean up the kitchen for me?”
“Yes. Go take care of your emergency. I’ll handle things here.”
Fifteen minutes later, I pulled into Pearl Tarkey’s driveway. One tree was already torn down. I jumped out of my car, grabbing my purse from the passenger seat, and headed over to the trees.
Gus Hobbs was watching them.
“Where is…”
“Inside. She couldn’t watch.”
“They shouldn't be here.”
After Pablo retrieved the three numbers for me, I had reached former Senator Catherine Cheatham. I told her the story of the trees and she promised to do what she had to to stop their removal. There was no reason for that first tree to be down.
I walked toward the men doing the tree removal. “You need to stop. These trees are not supposed to be removed.”
“We have a court order to remove them.”
I took a deep breath and let it out before turning to see my ex-fiancé Kirk Graham standing near the crew. He was the opposite of Pablo. Taller by about three inches. Blonder. Jerkier.
“Kirk…”
He stepped toward me. “I should’ve known you’d show up. After you were seen on surveillance four days in a row, I knew I needed to move up my timeline.”
“Senator Cheatham…”
“Isn’t a senator anymore. She retired and has no…”
“If you think she has no pull, you must be insane. And by moving up your timeline, you’ve likely removed any chance of promotion ever again.”
He stepped closer to me. “Since when do you associate with people like this Felicia?”
I laughed at him. “People like this? Really? I’d say after I was smart enough to walk away from you.”
“You were supposed to come back.”
I shrugged. “I want to see this court order you have.”
He laughed at my request. “I don’t care what you want. I haven’t since you left.”
“Why?”
“Because we aren’t together anymore.”
“You’re tearing down Pearl Tarkey’s trees because we’re not together anymore?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Why are you tearing down her trees?”
“Because I can. The court order says so.”
I tried to count to ten to settle my growing anger with him. “Are the trees in your way of surveillance? They couldn’t be if you were able to tell that I was here four days in a row. Why are you doing this?”
“Because…”
“If you say because I can one more time, I will punch you. Is it because you know Howard Tarkey planted the trees? You’re just being vindictive? You didn’t even work the case. Is it because your mentor did? And he couldn’t bring Howard Tarkey to justice?”
Kirk came close to hitting me.
“Go ahead. That will end your career.”
He pulled his hand back. “Felicia, go home. This isn’t your concern. These trees are coming down.”
Gus Hobbs stepped closer, pulling me back. “Ms. Michaels…”
Kirk laughed. “Ms. Michaels? You know she’s married, right?”
I pulled away from him and inched closer to Kirk. “What happened to you? What happened to the man that I once loved? If you ever loved me, you won’t do this now.”
“I’m doing it because I can.”
Without thinking, my fist was in his face. Gus Hobbs pulled me back and hauled me inside the house.
“That wasn’t smart.”
I rubbed my fist. “I know. Now my hand hurts.”
Pearl Tarkey entered the room seconds later with a bag of ice. She handed the ice to me. “For you, Ms. Michaels.”
I took it from her. “I take it you were watching.”
She shrugged. “I’m done watching.”
I moved to the window and watched as they started work on the second tree. “I can’t believe I almost married him.” I put down the ice and pulled my phone out of my purse. I placed a second call to former Senator Cheatham, letting her know that the trees were being removed as we spoke.
Then, I picked up the ice and put it back on my hand. Unable to watch them working on the trees any longer, I moved over to the couch.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the front door. Gus Hobbs went over to answer it. He spoke to whoever was at the door for a few minutes before he came back to the living room for me.
“Ms. Michaels?”
“Yes?”
“Someone is here to see you.”
“To see me?”
He nodded, taking the bag of ice from me. The look on his face was one I couldn't read. He escorted me to the front door where Sheriff’s Deputy Cyrus Brink stood.
“Felicia Michaels?”
I sighed. “Cyrus.”
“Can you please step outside?”
I noticed that Kirk was no longer observing the tree removal. He had moved further up Pearl Tarkey’s property to watch Cyrus and me.
I stepped outside, certain I knew why he was there. “Cyrus, just do what you’re here to do.”
He pulled out his handcuffs, shaking his head. “You assaulted an FBI agent?”
“I punched my ex-fiancé. I warned him I’d do it and he baited me again.”
“I’m sorry, Felicia. You know I have no choice.”
I sighed. “I know. Just do it.”
As he placed the handcuffs on me, I still didn’t regret punching Kirk. I smiled with the realization that I’d do it again.
Barely ten minutes later, we were at the Sheriff’s Station. Cyrus processed me himself and then sat me down at his desk.
“You’re not going to lock me up and throw away the key?” I smiled at him, shaking my head.
He laughed. “I’m waiting for Agent Graham to change his mind about filing charges against you. From what I understand, he provoked you.” He paused. “Just so you know, Adele is out there interviewing witnesses. While she is doing that, I don’t think they’ll be tearing down any additional trees.”
I smiled, hoping the rest of the trees would be saved. “When do I get my phone call?”
Part 8