Torn Away
Book One of the Torn Series
By
Vincent Morrone
Copyright © 2014, Vincent Morrone
All rights reserved. Ebooks are not transferable. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage system without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Edited by Tiffany Marie Hoffmann
Cover Art by Ash Arceneaux
Publisher’s Note:
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Also by Vincent Morrone:
Just Breathe
The Vision Series:
Vision of Secrets (Short Story~ prequel)
Vision of Shadows
Vision of Serpents
Vision of Sacrifices
Coming soon:
Vision of Sacraments
Vision of Darkness
Torn Apart
Torn to Pieces
The Red Strokes (Entry into Hotel Paranormal Series)
Thank You:
There are too many people to mention, but I’ve got thank my wife and children above and beyond all else for simply putting up with me. You guys are the best part of my life.
Also, special thanks to Tiffany Marie Hofmann. Working with a new editor can be a little scary, but you really believed in this book, fell in love with the characters, and went above and beyond. A great editor does more than just correct spelling, tense, and grammar; they push you to become a better writer, and you did.
Authors note:
Writing this book made me think about how important being connected to family can be, and in the early stages, I had the chance to reconnect with several members of my own.
Many years ago, when becoming an author was nothing more than a dream, there was an argument within my family. While I was only a witness to the dispute as I was a kid, the actions of the adults in my life affected me greatly. I lost all contact with my aunts, uncles, and all of my cousins from one side of the family. This was before the age of the internet when contact could have easily been maintained on social media sites.
Decades later, my cousin Marcus found me through one of these social media sites. It was amazing talking to everyone, even if I felt a little like a kid who had just found out his face had been on the side of a milk carton for years. Since then, I’ve had several wonderful conversations with many relatives that were torn away from me at an early age.
First off, thank you to Marcus for finding me! And a special shout out to Gina for those great phone calls.
I want to dedicate Torn Away to those family members, in particular to my three Aunts that I’ve been able to reconnect with. I can’t tell you how much it means to have you back in my life. Maria, Anna, and Che Che!!! I love you all so much!
Chapter 1
A Free Woman
“Say it. I am a free woman, in charge of my own future and destiny.”
Kelli Duncan took a deep breath, used a tissue to dry her tears. “I am a free woman in charge of my own future and destiny.”
Diana sat back and appraised her patient. “Now, try saying it like you believe it.”
Kelli smiled, but there was no joy in it. She fought against the tears threatening to spill over again. “It’s hard. I don’t believe it. I don’t feel like I’m in control. If Edward gets out, I’m afraid he’ll come for me. For me and Cole.”
“You have a restraining order,” Diana said. “If he comes into the county, he’ll be arrested again. You’ve got two friends on the police force.”
Kelli knew a restraining order was just a piece of paper.
“You can’t control his actions,” Diana said. “You can only control your own. What kind of person you choose to be. What kind of mother you want to be.”
Kelli’s breathe hitched as the waterworks kicked back in. “I’ve failed as a mother. I should have left that bastard years ago, the moment he first raised his hand to me. But I stayed. I was terrified of him. I’m still terrified of him.”
Diana nodded. “You had every reason to be, but it was more than just terror. It’s the pattern of your life. Your father was an abusive drunk, to you and your siblings.”
“He was always so angry,” Kelli explained. “More so after Mom died.”
“Then your first boyfriend used and abused you. Left you when you were pregnant with his son.”
Kelli shrugged. “Rodger didn’t hit me much. He mostly stole from me. And he cheated. But he gave me Cole.”
“And then there was Edward Hunter,” Diana said. “He isolated you from your family and friends. Beat you in front of your son. You’ve been conditioned to take it. But you broke away. You left.”
Kelli nodded. “He came after me. He was going to kill me and take Cole.”
“He has no claim over your son,” Diana said. “He never adopted him or even accepted him as his own. Cole doesn’t call him ‘Dad’ does he?”
Ripping the tissue into tiny pieces, Kelli shook her head. “No. Edward never wanted him to.”
“How is Cole adjusting to life in Ember Falls?”
Kelli sighed heavily. “I’m not sure. He’s quiet. Sullen. He hasn’t made any friends. I know he’s worried about Edward returning.”
Kelli threw away the remains of the tissue, reaching forward and pulled out another one. “He likes living in Lilly’s house. And the bookstore. Cole always liked books.”
“How is he dealing with your friend and sister?”
Kelli smiled and there was a hint of joy in her eyes. “He likes his crazy Aunt Ashley and she adores him. Lilly is so patient. It was so good of her to take us in. If Edward comes there…”
Kelli closed her eyes, imagining her ex hurting her friend or sister. If it happened, it would be her fault.
“If he does, call the police. Your sister is friends with a cop.”
Kelli nodded. “Ollie’s a good man. He’s been trying to spend time with Cole. I think Cole likes him, but he won’t say it. He’s frightened of men, but Ollie’s got a way about him. Cole needs that. He needs to be around good men.” Kelli dabbed her eyes with the tissue. “I contacted my brother.”
Diana’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Oh? Do you think that’s a good idea? Are you sure that’s not you, falling into that same pattern again?”
Kelli shook her head. “I don’t care what everyone says. My brother didn’t hurt anyone. He always tried to protect me and Ashley. Dad was always the hardest on him. I think when Dad looked at me or Ashley, he saw a bit of Mom. So we got knocked around a little, but he’d go to town on Drew. Mostly because Drew put himself between us and Dad.
“I haven’t seen him since I snuck into the hospital. They wouldn’t let me into his room, had a police officer stationed at the door. I saw him as a nurse went in. They had him cuffed to the bed.”
Diana nodded. “What does your sister think?”
Kelli folded her arms. “Ashley refuses to even talk about him. He wrote to us.” She looked up. “For some time, he wrote letters and emails. Ashley refused to read them and sent them back, but she saved the ones that came for me. I believe in him. I’ve been poking around a little. I owe it to him.”
“You don’t owe him anything,” Diana said. “You owe it to your son to be safe. Is your brother coming back to Ember Falls?”
Kelli shook her head. “I didn’t actu
ally ask him, but I want him to. I know he hates this town, but I want my brother back. I think he’d be good for Cole. If I ask him, he’ll come.”
“You’re sure that’s a good idea?”
Kelli smiled. “There’s a lot of things I’m not sure about, but my brother being a part of my son’s life? That’s not one of them.”
Diana was hardly convinced.
Diana instructed Kelli to repeat that phrase in her head, each day, until it started to sink in. ‘I am a free woman, in charge of my own future and destiny.’ It sounded good.
Kelli stepped outside, the cool night air refreshing her entire body. She was a free woman, and she intended to stay that way. Kelli failed Cole as a mother, because she allowed fear to dominate her. She had to do better for him. Cole would heal. He had to. He was all that mattered to her.
Yes, life was going to get better. Kelli would make sure of it. She was through being a victim.
She smiled to herself as she reached for the car handle. The promise still ringing in her mind when his reflection in the car window caught her attention. She had no time to panic before he grabbed her from behind, whispered, “Bitch,” in her ear as a sharp blade slit her throat.
Her scream drowned in a bloody gurgle as he dragged her to a nearby car, used a key fob to remotely open the trunk and throw her inside like a bag of garbage. She barely registered the fact the trunk was lined with plastic as he glared down at her with scorn and stabbed the knife into her chest. She prayed her sister, brother and best friend would deliver the promise of a better life for her son. Kelli Duncan died before he slammed the trunk closed, but she died a free woman.
“Concentrate,” the General snapped, “or you’re going to be sorry.”
Drew Duncan didn’t look up right away. His eyes remained on his cell phone; the picture of a little boy with sad eyes who refused to look into the camera had him captivated.
“What the hell are you staring at anyway? Aren’t you a little old to be looking at pictures of girls with their boobs out?”
Drew stared at the General. Frank McAlister, aka the General, was a tall and sturdy man with gray hair and a square jaw. His old and stern face was offset by sharp blue eyes. He stood with his arms crossed as he waited for an answer, and the General wasn’t one to wait.
“If I ever get too old to look at boobs,” Drew said. “Shoot me.”
“Count on it.” The General folded his arms and scowled. “So tell me what has you’re undivided attention.”
Drew handed the phone to the General. “I have a nephew.”
The General took the phone, expecting to see the picture of a little baby boy tucked up in a blue hospital blanket. Instead the kid displayed looked like he was ten. And he didn’t look happy.
“I thought you said you haven’t spoken to either of your sisters since that business from your home town.”
“I haven’t,” Drew said, doing his best to ignore the urge to reach for his pack of cigarettes and light up. “I tried to write and email both of them for a while. Never heard back. Ashley returned my letters, ripped up into little pieces. Kelli never responded to hers. Now I know why. She got married to some asshole. She doesn’t go into detail, but it sounds like he was no better than my father. She’s left him. Fucker better steer clear of her.”
The General nodded. “You plan on going to see her?”
Drew’s mouth went dry at the thought of returning to Ember Falls. His home town was filled with old nightmares and bad memories. “She didn’t ask me, but she wants me to. I can read between the lines.”
God, going back to Ember Falls was the last thing he wanted to do, but he wanted his sisters back. Both of them, including the pain in the ass known as Ashley. Plus, he wanted to meet his nephew. Maybe he could convince them to come out to him?
Scowling, the General held out Drew’s phone. “Alright, enough with the Brady Bunch routine. We’re here to do a job. I need you focused.”
Drew took his phone back, gave one last look at the young boy identified as Cole and then shut it down. “Yes, sir.”
The two of them moved across the room to a small table. There was a briefcase, which the General opened. Inside were stacks of hundred dollar bills.
“It’s all there?”
The General sighed. “You want to count it, son? It’s there. One cool million. You remember the plan?”
Drew started to examine the brief case. “I do. It’s not what I’d call a difficult plan.”
The General nodded. “It doesn’t need to be difficult for it to get fucked up, and I don’t want it fucked up. Neither do our clients. You stick to the plan. You’re there to make a simple exchange. You show them the cash, make the trade, and get out. Clear?”
Drew shut the briefcase, snapped the locks into place, and grabbed the handle. “Crystal. What could go wrong?”
With a sigh, the General headed toward the door. “I’m too old for this shit.”
The sun was just breaking into the morning sky, bathing the horizon in a deadly, red hue. Rolling, turbulent clouds blanketed the distance as deep shadows covered the landscape.
Alone, in a black SUV, Drew drove out to the rendezvous point. He didn’t play any music, making sure to obey all speed limits. He needed to be in control.
Drew struggled to put aside any thoughts of Ember Falls. He was about to face people who wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet in his brain. It wasn’t the first time, and certainly wouldn’t be the last. Just another day at the office.
Yet the idea of going back to his home town and facing his sisters had his palms sweaty.
Put it away, Drew, put it away. You can’t afford to worry about this. Not now. This wouldn’t take long and then you can get nice and drunk, and worry then. Right now, concentrate. Get the job done.
He followed the GPS to an old, abandoned drive-in movie theater, the giant screen ripped, and most of the poles bare and rusted. Drew got out and placed the briefcase on the driver’s seat. He was dressed in black slacks, a matching jacket and tie, and a white shirt. He hated ties, but needed to project a certain image here. Despite that, and knowing he had a few minutes, Drew reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of Marlboros. He hadn’t taken his first drag before the General’s voice sounded in his ear.
“I ought to shoot that thing right out of your mouth, son.”
Drew laughed. He knew the General had a strong dislike for cigarettes. He’d promised himself he was going to quit one day, but he hadn’t gotten to that day yet.
“Just killing time until the fun starts.” Drew blew out smoke.
“Just killing yourself, one lung-full at a time.”
“Nah, I’m indestructible,” Drew said. He coughed twice and pounded his chest like a ninety year old man on an iron lung.
“You’re just dumb enough to believe that, aren’t you?”
Drew took one last drag on the cigarette before tossing it away. “Not really.”
The General chuckled in his ear. “Good, because you’re no good to me if you do. Heads up, I see a dust trail. North-west, coming fast. They’re almost there.”
Drew looked up. The General was right. It was time.
Grabbing the briefcase, Drew headed to the front of the SUV. He placed it on the hood and leaned against the grill, making sure to have his hands in sight.
“No surprises,” the General said. “It’s a simple exchange.”
Two cars pulled up. One was a black sedan, the other a matching van, both very nondescript. They slowed down while still several feet away and came to an abrupt stop. Two men got out from the passenger side of each vehicle, each with a semi-automatic gun in their hand. They stepped forward and stopped.
They were extraordinarily large men without any trace of a neck. One was White, covered in tattoos with a clean shaven head, and several piercings, including a nose ring. The other was Hispanic, had long, black hair pulled back in a ponytail and a Fu Manchu moustache. Each one looked as solid as a brick wall, and probably
just as dumb. Drew studied them while keeping a casual expression on his face. ‘Tattoo’ stared blankly ahead, wearing what Drew considered a good poker face. ‘Ponytail’ smirked. It was the smirk that worried Drew.
The back door to the sedan opened and a man slowly got out. Only slightly smaller in stature, he wore a finely tailored black suit that hid the bulk of his muscles with a neatly trimmed goatee, and his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses.
Here was the guy in charge. His name, learned through their sources, was John Samson. As he approached, he was joined by two other men, each big and brutal looking. They also carried semiautomatic weapons, strung over their shoulders.
They reminded Drew of a prison gang, only better dressed and armed.
“Careful, Drew,” the General said. “I don’t like the feel of this.”
Drew’s gut instinct agreed with the General.
This was wrong. Exchange my ass. This was going to be a bloodbath.
Samson stopped a decent distance from Drew. He was the only one not holding a weapon, although Drew could tell he had one under his jacket from the way he walked. “You got the money?”
Casually, Drew nodded. He stepped aside and placed his hand on the briefcase.
“Show me,” Samson ordered.
Hesitating for only a moment, Drew pulled the briefcase off the hood. Without ever taking his eyes off of the men in front of him, he opened up the case, turned it around and lifted the lid for Samson to see. Then he flipped the lid closed, locked it and placed it on the ground.
Samson smiled. “Bring it to me.”
Drew shook his head. “No. I showed you mine. You show me yours.”
For a moment, Samson did nothing; as if Drew was going to suddenly change his mind and hand over a million dollars if he glared hard enough. Realizing that wasn’t going to happen, he snapped his fingers toward the van.
Torn Away (The Torn Series Book 1) Page 1
