Kanoa kissed the flirty blonde, hoping things would go futher. Things were starting to go south for him. Detective Darrin had done some digging into Kanoa's companies. Kanoa knew it was just a matter of time before he would be behind bars. Among the crimes that he could easily be convicted of: embezzlement, stock fraud, security fraud, investment fraud, and insider trading were a few. Much to his disappointment, the blonde made a flirty excuse before leaving without him. He decided he might as well go home.
Jazlyn had just gotten off the phone with Kale. He had once again warned her about Kanoa and how she needed to keep her kids safe. Jazlyn had stubbornly refused to listen to Kale. She had chosen Kanoa over Kale years ago and wasn't about to admit she was wrong. Kanoa didn't say anything and sat down at the table by Ethan. She could smell perfume but ignored it and put Desiree on the floor while she made dinner.
As she cooked she couldn't help wondering if Kanoa really did hire someone to kill Holly. He had been charged with assault as a teenager. Sure, Kanoa was a cheater. Jazlyn couldn't count the number of times he cheated on her if she tried. They had constant fights most of their marriage but it was strictly argument. Kanoa had never hit her. Jazlyn felt someone capable of murder would be much more violent. Clearly Kale was just reacting out of emotional fear. Maybe Kale worried that Kanoa would lure Holly away, like he had Jazlyn. She didn't regret her decision to love Kanoa. Jazlyn did regret that it hurt Kale in the process. Kanoa was a good provider, and she never wanted for anything material. Wasn't that a sign of a stable marriage?
During dinner Kanoa and Jazlyn didn't talk to each other. No surprise there, they rarely spoke these days. Jazlyn would rather not talk than argue. Ethan thought so highly of Kanoa and she loyally tried to hide much of the disfunction in their house of cards. Ethan chatted away while eating, not noticing the distance between his parents.
Kanoa cleared his plate, choosing not to talk to Jazlyn. He was going to have to tell her soon, about having to go to trial and then jail for his crimes. He counted himself fortunate that the detective (to his knowledge) hadn't uncovered enough to get him convicted of being an accesory of vehicular hit-and-run. He really didn't want to tell Jazlyn about this. She would give him that pitiful look that he was finding harder and harder to ignore these days. Jazlyn had chosen him over Kale. At the time, he saw it as winning a trophy to spite his brother. As the years past, he recognized that she really did love him. Jazlyn made Kanoa hate himself. And for that he constantly argued with her, secretly angry that she couldn't accept him for what he was.
Kanoa finally worked up the nerve to explain to Jazlyn why they would be losing alot of their money for his white collar business crimes. He left out the hit-and-run. He had only told Jazlyn half truths most of their marriage and wasn't about to come clean now. Jazlyn stared at him furious, for once she could not think of a single excuse for him. "How could you?" She raised her voice, though it shook slighly, "How could you? Do you realize how much Ethan looks up to you? And what about Desiree? She will grow up without her father!"
Kanoa slapped Jazlyn so hard across the face she saw stars. She felt completely disoriented and betrayed. She had trusted Kanoa all these years, and she realized how bitterly wrong she was. Kanoa felt fury growing in him. This was all Jazlyn's fault. She made him hit her...lecturing him and nagging all the time. "Don't you think I know what this will do to the kids?!" He smacked her again, feeling a little relief from all the anger he had bottled inside. "Don't you think I know I'm not going to be there for them?"
Ethan ran into the room, he had heard shouting from down the hallway. What he saw shocked him. His dad had never hit anyone and had always told Ethan that hitting was wrong. He turned and ran out of the room. Kanoa felt sorry that Ethan saw him hitting Jazlyn.
Kanoa followed Ethan who ran down the hallway sobbing. Kanoa finally found Ethan outside on the deck. He wasn't sure what to say exactly. He wasn't sorry for hitting Jazlyn, she really should have minded her own business. However, Kanoa was sorry that his actions were seen by Ethan. He cleared his throat, "Hey, Ethan, I..."
Ethan stood clenching his fists and speaking firmly. "You said we couldn't hit people! You told me that when me and Jim from school got into a fight. You said I should have used my words." Ethan began to cry. "You lied to me!" Ethan ran off again. Kanoa decided to let him. Kid logic wasn't the same as adult logic, Kanoa thought to himself. In a child's eyes there were only good guys and bad guys. In the real world, there were just people. Everyone trying to get by, everyone trying to make a simoleon.
Kanoa came back inside to find Jazlyn in the living room. He wouldn't apologize, never had their entire marriage. He did hug her though and kiss her cheek which was still pink from where his hand hit. Jazlyn didn't say anything. While Kanoa was outside she had called the police. They stated they already had a warrant for his arrest for all his crimes and had someone on the way. Ironically, today was the first day she stood up to Kanoa and the last she would hopefully see him for a long time. She planned on divorcing him while he was away. Jazlyn just couldn't stand behind him anymore. She had built a castle in the sand and could foresee the waves before they crashed into her.
Kanoa opened the door and was surprised to see a police officer. Jazlyn picked up Desiree and Ethan stood by her soberly. "I have a warrant for your arrest, Mr. Perez.."
As the officer led Kanoa away Ethan called after him. "I love you, dad, even if you are a bad guy." Kanoa felt conviction from Ethan's honest words. "Love you too, son." He spoke gruffily.
Kanoa sat before Detective Darrin, feeling conflicted. He dodged most of the questions while hearing Ethan's words replay in his head. He wouldn't give in. Kanoa could pay for the best lawyers and hopefully get his sentence reduced. As he suspected, Darrin had nothing but theory concerning the hit-and-run. He would bide his time, and enjoyed the frustration that he was causing the detective.
The arresting officer, Drew Tank, stared at the man he had just brought in through the mirrored window. He had been advised of the domestic violence, saw the fear in the woman's eyes, and felt sad for the little boy who was going to lose his dad. And all because of this man, who seemed to have a God complex. Suddenly, Tank recognized him. This man had taken his sister to the prom, back when Tank was still in junior high. He felt sick to his stomach and relieved that their relationship hadn't lasted more than a month. He couldn't imagine calling such a dirt bag family.
Kanoa sat in his cell thinking. He would obviously be convicted of his crimes...atleast the ones that could be proven. He would be behind bars, what maybe six months? A year at most, he was sure his millions of simoleons could get him a reduced sentenced. And then. Then he would make Jazlyn realize that she couldn't live without him. He would get revenge on the accountant that he was sure was a material witness in his case, and he would finish what he had started with Kale.
End of Part 11
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