Autumn's Rage

by Mary Stone

  “I can be your sister. As long as you know I might have to go to a different house someday. It could be soon. Or not, but you have to remember that I’ll be leaving, okay?” Autumn bit her tongue until she tasted the metallic trickle of blood.

  Cricket shook his head and gave her a wide, optimistic grin. “You’re gonna be my sister forever. You’re not gonna leave.”

  But she had left, and only two weeks later.

  Cricket sobbed on the Wright’s front porch while her caseworker pulled the car away from the curb, Autumn dutifully buckled into the back seat. Autumn waved out the window and tried not to cry. She rolled the window down just as Cricket’s sobs turned to wails.

  “Where are you taking her? Bring her back! I want my sister back! I want my sister baaack…”

  “You’re a murderer!” Albert shrieked, clawing at the floor as he pulled away from Philip’s grip. “You killed her! You took her away from me!”

  “I! Never! Hurt! Your! Sister!” Baldwin’s cry was a roar now. He was crawling toward the gun, but so was Albert.

  Please…help me…

  The black curtain was falling over her eyes, even as Philip reached for the pistol. The two men clawed and thrashed to gain possession as pain ripped through Autumn’s lungs.

  The explosion seemed to come from far away…echoing through her body with every beat of her heart. Both men froze, apparently stunned by the violent eruption before Albert slowly sank to the floor. He clutched the wound in his shoulder, howling in maniacal pain.

  Philip turned toward her, the gun still clutched in one trembling hand. He hurried to her side, reaching for her throat…

  The door crashed open, and Autumn managed to lift her eyelids one last time.

  Aiden, Adrienne, Chris, Mia, Noah, Winter…the entire team was here. They’d made it. They’d found her.

  Her head dropped in exhaustion, rolling against her shoulder as she glimpsed the agents and officers surrounding Philip, guns raised.

  They think he kidnapped me. I have to tell them…tell them they’re wrong.

  But Autumn couldn’t speak or breathe or inform anyone of anything.

  Her eyes closed as she struggled to inhale one last time. A scream echoed through her head, pulsing through her body as she dropped farther and farther into the void of death.

  Hands clawed at her face and neck, pulling and yanking so hard that her head whipped back and forth. After what felt like hours, a ripping sound penetrated the fog enclosing her. A rush of sweet air ripped through her chest.

  “Autumn…”

  She inhaled again, the pain of air like daggers ripping through her lungs, but it was the most wonderful pain she’d ever experienced.

  With all the effort she could muster, Autumn’s eyes fluttered open, and Winter appeared. Her face was pinched in worry, though she visibly relaxed as their gazes met and held. Before she could inhale another breath, she was in her best friend’s arms, and they both were crying as someone cut her binds away.

  “You’re okay.” Winter’s voice was soothing. “We’ve got you.”

  Behind the cooing words came shouts and sounds of a struggle. Philip.

  Pulling away from her friend, she frantically shook her head.

  Winter’s eyes went wide. “What?”

  Sucking in another great gulp of air, she managed a hoarse whisper. “Not…him.”

  All eyes turned on Autumn, but it was Winter who understood first. “Baldwin didn’t do this to you?”

  Relief flooded through her, and she allowed herself to collapse back into Winter’s arms. “No…Rice…bad…man.”

  As the team lowered their guns, Autumn surrendered to the abyss.

  33

  Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

  Aiden was provided with the assurance that Autumn Trent was very much alive by the steady rhythm of the heart monitor machine.

  He stared at her regardless, hands shoved deep into his suit jacket pockets, standing near her bedside in the emergency room of Richmond’s Medical Hospital.

  Her chest rose and fell with placid, peaceful beats. Bright auburn hair splayed across the standard grade pillows that propped her upper body at a slightly raised angle.

  All wasn’t “well” in the usual sense of the word, but the situation was okay. Autumn was in stable condition, and the doctors had assured him…repeatedly…that she would make a full recovery from the trauma of her abduction.

  Close, though. One of the physicians mentioned how narrow the margin had been between life and death for Autumn. Her oxygen levels had dipped to dangerous lows.

  “I’m not sure she would have made it past another minute. Not without brain damage of some degree,” the harried ER doctor had told him.

  Aiden replayed the words in his head, awed and disturbed that one single minute had made the difference for the brilliant psychiatrist. Her inquisitive, gifted mind would have wasted away in rapid fashion had they arrived at Baldwin’s house any later.

  One single minute.

  He pictured her frozen in a vegetative slumber, kept alive by life support and nothing more, then pushed the image away.

  That wasn’t the case. They had arrived in time. She was safe.

  She was going to wake up and everything—

  Vivid green eyes met his as Autumn’s heavy lashes lifted.

  “You’re awake.” Taken off guard, Aiden’s immediate greeting was lackluster at best.

  Autumn’s mouth curved upward then shot back down. Her eyes grew wide, and she struggled to sit up. “Philip Baldwin’s innocent. He tried to protect me. Albert…this was all Albert. You have to let Philip go.”

  Aiden placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Easy, Dr. Trent. Baldwin isn’t under arrest.”

  Autumn stared at him in silence, her brow furrowed with concentration. Unnerved and fatigued, he pulled his hand away. She had a way of making him feel like he was being x-rayed…probed somehow.

  “You figured the whole thing out,” she surmised, relief flooding her features.

  His body relaxed as if by osmosis. He’d been unaware of how tense his muscles were.

  “For the most part, yes,” he admitted, shoving his hands back into his pockets. “The puzzle pieces fit, finally. Albert Rice believed Baldwin was to blame for his sister’s suicide. He killed Baldwin’s assistant, Mildred, in an attempt to frame the shrink for murder. When that didn’t work, he followed him to the hospital to set him up again.”

  Autumn nodded and smiled, he assumed, at the accuracy.

  “He intended to frame Baldwin for your murder as well.” Aiden’s jaw clenched. “Did I get most of that right?”

  “Perfect. I mean, awful, but perfect.” Autumn laid her head back on the stack of pillows and shot him a small grin. “Excellent deductive reasoning skills, Agent Parrish.”

  “Thank you. I would have preferred to expedite that genius discovery, but what’s life without a few ridiculously close calls?” He wanted to smile and couldn’t.

  “You were scared,” Autumn stated with quiet certitude. “You were afraid the team wouldn’t make it in time.”

  She was correct.

  “We were all very concerned for your welfare, Dr. Trent,” he admitted, attempting to take the focus off himself. “You have people in your corner who care a great deal about you.”

  Autumn tilted her head. “I know. I’m lucky.”

  Aiden didn’t know what to say. There should have been words, but he couldn’t find them.

  “Philip was innocent the entire time,” she mused, tugging at a loose thread in her blanket.

  “Yes. And I should commend you for following your instincts, especially considering that you had little to no support in pursuing those avenues.” Aiden hated himself for not having paid closer attention. He hadn’t been convinced that Philip was their guy either, but what had he done to assist Autumn’s hunch?

  “Zippo,” Autumn agreed, meeting his gaze again. “But I’m okay…or at least I’ll be okay. That’s more than I ca
n say for Albert Rice.”

  Aiden grimaced. “He’s in surgery as we speak. A lot of blood loss and possible permanent nerve damage, but he’ll recover. Before you know it, he’ll be ready for a jail cell and his very own psych eval.”

  Autumn held up a hand. “I would like to vote for anyone besides myself to take that job on.”

  Aiden grinned. “I don’t think Albert’s case will be added to your patient list, Doctor.”

  “He really isn’t a bad person. He lost his sister and life changed. He changed. All he wanted was justice for Colleen. And peace.” Autumn bit her lip, and Aiden noted her genuine struggle to stay undemonstrative.

  “I have a very hard time empathizing with a man who killed three innocent women and was working on the fourth. Bad person or not, he was seeking solace through murder and deception.” He wasn’t able to keep the growl from his voice.

  Autumn nodded. “I know. I just…I wonder if he would have found that peace had there been an audio feed that proved Philip did nothing wrong. He may not have taken this path or become this person.”

  “I can’t argue with that. Albert very well could have made different choices if the feed existed. But the audio doesn’t exist, and he did kill three women. He’ll have to answer for that, peace or no peace.” Aiden should have been used to Autumn’s giant heart overcoming the greatest of grievances, but she continually surprised him.

  Albert Rice had attempted to kill her, and she wasn’t even angry. Her ability to empathize was uncanny. Aiden figured the unique gift was one of the key ingredients that made Autumn such an asset to the BAU.

  She forgave all, regardless of the outcome, while still managing to do her job. He certainly couldn’t say the same for himself, or for the masses of humanity in general.

  He only worried that her sensibilities might continue to throw her in harm’s way.

  Worry about that tomorrow. She’s here, alive, and undamaged. For the most part.

  “He just wanted his sister back,” Autumn murmured, staring out the tall windows of the room.

  Aiden swallowed. He was familiar with the longing and knew Autumn was too.

  “Well, I’m just glad the murder spree is over. Maybe he’ll get better. That does happen on occasion,” Aiden allowed, immediately thinking of Justin Black.

  Occasionally. But not always. And not often.

  Autumn turned back to him and flashed an optimistic smile. “I really hope he does. And I guess, bottom line, I should thank you for showing up in the nick of time. It was close. It was so close.” Her smile faded.

  “It?” Aiden pressed, even though he already knew. Saying the words out loud would take some of the horror away.

  “Death. The Grim Reaper. The last train. The big sleep—”

  Aiden held up both hands. “Stop. I get the point.” How many close calls had he witnessed in his career with the Bureau? Too many to name.

  But this one had hit him with a severe jolt, the likes of which he would not be quick to process.

  “Anyway. Close but no cigar.” Autumn chuckled weakly. “I’m sorry. Last one. And really…I mean it. Thank you for saving me.”

  Aiden glanced over his shoulder, giving an imperceptible nod. “Well, I certainly didn’t come to your rescue by myself.”

  Mia and Chris entered the room.

  Agent Logan rushed to Autumn’s bedside. “I’m so glad you’re okay. You’re one tough cookie.”

  The women smiled at each other, and Parker rolled his eyes dramatically.

  But Aiden knew the man had been shaken.

  In a rare moment of comradery, Chris clapped his hands together. “You are my hero, Dr. Trent. When I grow up, I want to be just like you.”

  Laughter emanated from the four of them. Aiden pondered the possibility of Chris Parker being halfway likeable were he able to stay in this “never-before-seen” pleasant mode forever.

  He’d be forced to get a haircut, of course. No one could befriend that assemblage of blond blasphemy.

  Two more figures entered the room. Winter and Noah approached Autumn slowly, as though they were scared she might not be real.

  Aiden wasn’t the only one who’d been fighting the sands of time to reach their sweet doctor.

  He watched as Noah gave Autumn a cautious bear hug. “You are not allowed to disappear ever again. Your new curfew is seven o’clock sharp, and I expect you to obey the rules, young lady.”

  Autumn sputtered into vivacious laughter, and Aiden realized that the familiar sound was an element of his daily life that he refused to go without. Dr. Trent wasn’t allowed to die. Not on his watch.

  “Well, as you can see, I’m not on my knees.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  Adrienne’s scrutiny was yet another issue for a different day.

  Winter and Autumn seemed locked in an affectionate stare down of sorts, and their need for privacy was glaringly obvious to Aiden.

  “Okay, Agents. How about the rest of us step out and let these two alone for a bit,” Aiden suggested, leading the way.

  Everyone, aside from Winter, acquiesced, following him into the hallway.

  He caught a glimpse of Noah clapping a brotherly hand onto Chris’s shoulder. The interaction was double-take worthy.

  But why. Why did something horrible have to happen before people who were on the same side to begin with could come together?

  There was a better way, he was sure. But he also doubted that mankind would change anytime soon. Human nature wasn’t going anywhere.

  Petty arguments would continue on, cold brick walls of indifference would be built then rebuilt, and important words that hung from the tip of the tongue would go unsaid.

  Shake it off, Parrish. You’ve got work to do. Compose yourself.

  Aiden closed the door gently, keeping his eyes down. He steeled himself against the myriad of emotion still running rampant through his mind and strode away from Autumn’s room.

  He refused to look back.

  For now.

  34

  Winter stood at Autumn’s bedside, gripping the side rail of the hospital bed. As the adrenaline wore off, she faced the terror that had wreaked havoc on her psyche.

  “You don’t understand. Your head was off to the side, all limp. And the plastic was so tight…like another layer of skin sucked to your face. The bag was in your mouth. Not just over, in.” Winter’s lip trembled as she recalled her first sight of Autumn when they stormed Baldwin’s house.

  She hadn’t meant to provide Autumn with a play-by-play recap of those terrible few moments, but they also wouldn’t stop spurting from her traitorous mouth.

  Autumn patted her friend’s hand. “And you ripped that sucker off my head. I’m here. I’m fine.”

  Winter sputtered an embarrassed laugh. “I’m the one who’s supposed to be comforting you.” She took Autumn’s hand between both of her own. “I was so scared.”

  Autumn’s smile was gentle. “I know. Me too. I’m fine, I promise.”

  “Fine?” Winter raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Is that the official clinical diagnosis from the doctors?”

  “Okay. Maybe not fine, but alive. The doctors have to admit that much.” Autumn grinned up at her, unbelievably composed considering the events of the day.

  Winter drew in a deep breath, needing to calm herself. “Stop reassuring me. I’m supposed to be comforting you. You’re supposed to just, I don’t know. Lay there and moan like a good ‘I survived attempted murder’ victim should.”

  With great artistic flair, Dr. Trent flopped back on her pillow, closed her eyes, and let out an incredibly convincing snore.

  Something about the amusing pose was too reminiscent of the scene they’d discovered in Philip Baldwin’s country home for Winter to digest. “Okay. You’re hilarious. Stop it.”

  Autumn popped her eyes open in obedience but continued to rest her head. “Honestly, I know I’ll be fine, but I’m exhausted in a way I can’t even explain.”

  “Well, you’ve
never been deprived of oxygen before, so I suppose this was an educational experience,” Winter quipped, causing more laughter.

  “Indeed. And I should thank you for actually tearing the bag off. I guess the men were all too busy measuring their dicks to save my life.” Autumn’s eyes glowed with mischief.

  Winter lowered her chin in mock despair. “Yeah. Why do women always have to do the grunt work?”

  “Ha. You’re asking me?” Autumn closed her eyes for a quick moment. When she opened them, they were brimming with tears. “I’m so, so sorry, Winter. That fight was stupid. If those had been the last words I said to you—”

  “They weren’t. And I’m right in the same boat with you. I’d never forgive myself.” Winter fidgeted with her keychain. “I should apologize, because you were right. You were right about Justin.”

  Autumn’s eyebrows raised, but she said nothing.

  She’s being cautious. She doesn’t want to say the wrong thing. Everyone is always so scared of saying the wrong thing about Justin…

  “He is dangerous, and I do need to be more careful. I know what he’s capable of and being his big sister doesn’t rule me out as his next victim. I get that.” Winter forced the words out, hating the sound of them hanging in the air.

  He could hurt me, but he won’t. I won’t allow that to happen.

  “I understand how hard that must be to come to terms with. You’ve found him but you…” Autumn’s fingertips drifted up to touch her lips, and she didn’t finish what she started.

  She didn’t have to. Winter knew.

  “I haven’t actually found him.” Winter handed Autumn a tissue and took one for herself. “I know. And even with that knowledge, I want to be there for him. He’s my brother. Someone has to be there for him…” Visions of Justin’s feral eyes and blood-covered face flashed through her mind. “He’s still a human.”

  I know you’re still in there somewhere. I’ll never stop trying to find you.

  “Of course.” Autumn grabbed her hand and gave a firm squeeze. “I never meant you should abandon him. I just don’t want him messing with your head. You’re so hard on yourself already.”