Swagger (Radioactive Tales of Love)

by Nikki Prince

  All that is going through my head is how I’m completely cut off from anyone else. I don’t recognize where I am. I’m hurting and tired. I have to fight the urge to not just pass out and fall asleep. “Yes, you’re right. I want to know.”

  “I want to know why you told all those lies on me and stopped me from seeing your mother first. You even have the nerve to be suing me.”

  What a fucking lunatic! I’m getting angry but I have to keep my cool. Oh, my good lord, help me keep my cool! I’m defenseless and strapped to a bed. “It was a bad move on my part I know.” Yeah right.

  “Damn right, it was!”

  All I can think about is not only is Kathy a pedophile she’s a rapist and just plain psychotic. It’s then when I see the gun. I don’t know where it came from but the glint of silver catches my eye as Kathy waves it about.

  “You’re a lying bitch. You lied to your mother about me and you lied to the cops about me. So, how can I believe you when you say what you’re saying?”

  “I can only show you in time. I don’t know how to show you but just with my actions, maybe. You should believe me, Kathy. If it weren’t for that gun and being strapped down, I would be taking my shot at her.

  “That’s right, you’ll have to show me.”

  I need to find out where we are. “Kathy where are we?”

  “Remember the little house I had when your mom and I met?”

  Okay, so we we’re not in town anymore.

  “I killed the family who stole it from me and brought you here.”

  Oh, my god, she’s killed someone?

  The wildness in Kathy’s eyes shows she’s serious about doing harm. Kathy seems stupid and crazy, though her crazy trumps her stupid any day. Cruz, please find me! “Oh, I didn’t know. I thought you’d take us some place special.”

  “Oh, this place is special all right. It’s where I first was with your mother and your sister. I would bring Macy here and she liked being with me.”

  I remember Macy mentioned how she’d been to Kathy’s place in the diary. This is a nightmare come true and Kathy is the demon of my bad dreams come to life. To think that all these years, Kathy still harbors such evil thoughts and acts.

  She strokes the barrel of the gun across my cheek and I couldn’t stop the gasp or the flinch.

  Kathy snickers, “I can’t explain how good it makes me feel to see you squirm. You’ve always thought way too much of yourself. Now I get to bring you down to the level you should be at.”

  I can see the darkness in her. This is what people mean when they say someone is evil. She’s not just crazy—she’s malevolent.

  “You’re mother used to be enough for me. But then I saw you two girls and I wondered why couldn’t I have you all? Macy messed it up by killing herself. Then you hired me on, when your mom got sick. Perfect. All I needed to do was wait for you to come to me, so we could be together. Then you had to get with that loser Cruz.”

  She planned this all along? “You’ve waited for me that long?” I had to ask. It seems Horrific to think she truly waited for me that long.

  “Unh-huh. Your mom was lingering too long. So, I’ve been holding back her meds. She didn’t know and you didn’t know. I was hoping she’d just die, so then I could comfort you.”

  “But you’ve always been so mean to me.”

  Kathy shrugs her shoulders. “Enough of this. I’m going to call that boy and get him over here, so I can kill him. Then, you and I will be together like we’re supposed to be.” Kathy turns away and heads out of the room. She doesn’t close the door.

  I’m hoping I’ll be able to hear what she’s doing. I can only hope Cruz contacted the cops and that Kathy wouldn’t be able to hurt him.

  Chapter 34

  Cruz

  I’ve finally been able to convince the cops about how I have nothing to do with my girl being gone. I explained to them what recently happened and how there’d been a restraining order placed against Kathy. I sit at the precinct now, waiting for Officer Clayton and Benson inside of one of the interrogation rooms, to tell me if they’ve found anything out.

  I couldn’t sit still. I’m so worried I keep pacing back and forth in the small room, wringing my hands together. They’ve kept me waiting for far too long. Why didn’t they just listen to what I have to say about Kathy Demery in the first place? We should’ve been searching for Roxie all this time. I stop my pacing, when Officer Clayton and Benson enter the room.

  There’s a look of determination on Clayton’s face.

  “What have you found out?” I look from Benson to Clayton.

  Clayton answers me first, “Kathy Demery has a long police record in another state. She hid here all these years and has never been caught for anything. The only thing that came up on her for here…is the fact of the civil suit Roxanne placed against her, along with the restraining order.”

  “She’s the reason Roxanne’s older sister Macy killed herself. Please tell me you’ve found her? You know where Roxie is right? She’s okay?”

  “No, but we’re looking for her. We checked with Kathy’s family earlier, but they stated they haven’t seen her. We also checked her last place of residence and there was no one there.”

  My cell rings and I gaze down at it. Then, I glance over at Clayton. “I don’t recognize this number.”

  “Take it. I could be Roxie or it could be Kathy. One way or the other, we won’t know unless you answer.”

  I nod and answer the cell, “Hello?” I push the speaker on my phone, so that the officer could hear what’s being said.

  “Well, hello there, Cruz.”

  “Kathy?” I don’t know what else to say.

  “I’m going to cut to the chase. You need to come to 2635 Blackstone Way. You are to come by yourself. Any damn cops come with you and I’m going to kill your precious Roxie.”

  I focus on Benson as he writes down the address. “I’ll be there. Please let me talk to Roxie. I want to hear she’s okay.”

  “She’s fine. You can’t talk to her. I’m the one in control now. You have an hour to get here. You come alone or else…I will kill her.”

  The phone disconnects and I stare helplessly at Officer Clayton.

  Benson has his arms crossed, he hadn’t wanted to believe me at first, until I showed him the restraining order that had been filed in this very precinct. He begrudgingly displays a bit more respect.

  “What do I do?” I look to the officers for guidance. I mean they’re supposed to know what to do in a situation like this.

  “You’re going to do what she wants and we won’t be far behind,” Benson says.

  “No, you can’t! She’ll kill her.” I was staring at Officer Benson like he was crazy.

  “We’re professionals and we know what we’re doing.”

  “And that bitch is professional at being crazy. The address she gave me—it’s basically out in the middle of nowhere.”

  “We understand your frustration. We heard her as plain as day, we will make sure we’re a step ahead of her,” Officer Clayton states.

  “No, I don’t think you guys do. She means the world to me. She’s all that I have and I’d like to keep her.”

  “Look boy, we know what we’re doing. Ya go there alone and there isn’t any hope for either one of ya,” Officer Benson sneered as he heads toward me.

  Officer Clayton is standing between us and held up his hand towards Benson. “Don, just hold on, and bring it down a level or two. He’s worried and rightfully so.” He then turns to me. “We’ll make sure she doesn’t know we’re there. What we need you to do is to keep her distracted. Do you think you can do that, till we’re in a position to take her out?”

  “I’ll do anything for Roxie. I’ll be the best damn actor ever! Whatever it takes, even giving up my own life! She means that much to me.” I show them how very serious I am about this. For the first time ever, I see respect enter Officer Benson’s eyes.

  He may not like me but his opinion of me seems to cha
nge. “Ok, we’re running out of time.”

  “Come on, going to wiretap you, then you head out of here and get to her.”

  Now, they were speaking my language. I follow them both out and we stop at a desk. Officer Clayton outfits me with a wiretap, after asking me to take off my shirt. Once done, I button up my shirt and leave for Kathy’s house.

  I still feel worried; Kathy specifically told me to come alone. I’m going to have the police following me. I couldn’t bear to think what might happen if Kathy saw the police anywhere close.

  I need to keep calm. The anxiety I’m feeling makes me extremely nervous. I didn’t want to trigger my PTSD. I’m so nervous right now that I’m shaking and my t-shirt is sticking to me. My palms are sweaty. I can’t go to Kathy and let her see me like this. I have to get myself under control. I’ve been to war. I can handle one crazy older woman!

  I can do this, I’ve survived worse. I saw my buddies get blown up, shot and maimed beyond mention. If I can go through all of that…one crazy fucking bitch couldn’t make me lose everything. This wasn’t the time for my anxiety to try and run me. I get behind the wheel and do the one thing that always calms me down but I add a little different touch to it. “Roxie, Roxie, Roxie, Roxie. I love you, I love you, I love you Roxie.” My heart clenches in my chest and I take a deep breath.

  The chant usually makes me feel so much better, but right now, all it does is worry me a bit more. I don’t want to get there and find that I’ve already lost her. Or for that matter, get there and have Kathy kill her in front of me. Kathy is so crazy it’s hard to tell what she might do. The fact that she called me and told me where she was already is proof she’s off her rocker.

  I try the chant one more time. “Roxie, Roxie, Roxie, Roxie.” Okay I got this.

  My hands clench the steering wheel and I stop at a red light. I tap the steering wheel, willing the light to change, as I try to think of anything but the mad woman who held my girl.

  It seems to be a day like any other. The sun is shining and I see kids outside playing. Maybe like any other to most but to me, it’s a hell of a scary day. I want to share beautiful days with Roxie and I’m going to. Kathy isn’t going to stop what’s meant to be. I wasn’t going to let some crazy old fool, who didn’t deserve to walk this earth—take the best person away from me, who’s ever graced my life.

  Determination fills me. I got this.

  I arrive at the house. It looks deserted. There’s a car parked on the side of the house but it looks like it has been there forever. I have to wonder if Kathy is really here, or if this is some sort of trap. I turn off the car and walk through the sand, up to the walkway.

  The door is open just like it was at Roxanne’s and I do the dumbest thing I could possibly do—I go in. I have to—Roxie is in there, I know it. I feel it in my bones. A sharp pain radiates from the back of my head to my eyes and I go down hard.

  The first thing I see when I open my eyes is Kathy leaning over me with a gun.

  “Get up Cruz. Don’t make any fast moves or I will shoot you where you stand and think nothing of it!”

  I stumble to my feet. I reach back, touching my head, feeling a wet stickiness and pull my hand back to see it covered with blood. She’d hit me that hard.

  Chapter 35

  Roxie

  I hear Kathy on the phone with Cruz. She’s luring him here. I pray hard to God that he will protect him.

  Kathy came back into the room after getting off the phone to rant and rave for a bit. Then out of the blue—she undoes my bindings.

  My whole body is numb, especially my wrists. I sit on the bed, still pressing against a corner, terrified to go anywhere else.

  The couple she killed lay at the foot of the bed in a bloody mess.

  How could anyone do what she’d done?

  Cruz is coming. I can sense him.

  Movement at the door catches my attention, and there stood Cruz. For a moment, extreme relief floods through me.

  “Look Roxie, the gangs all here!” Kathy stands right behind him with her gun.

  She pushes Cruz forward and he stumbles over the leg of the dead man on the floor. He falls against the edge of the bed.

  My relief turns to panic as I rush over to him and hold him. I don’t care what Kathy does to me at this point. Holding him becomes a must.

  Cruz’s arms creep up around me and he holds me tight, nuzzling his face to my neck.

  “Aww isn’t that sweet,” Kathy sneers. “Now get up on the bed the both of you.”

  I help Cruz up; I can see he’s still bleeding. I’m hoping that he doesn’t have a concussion. “Are you okay?” I whisper in his ear as we walk to the bed.

  “Yeah, I’ve had worse.”

  We sit down, still holding each other and face Kathy.

  Kathy’s eyes look wild and she has spittle at the corners of her mouth, just like a rabid dog. “You two have been a fucking pain in my ass for I don’t know how long. I was nothing but good to you Roxanne!”

  What the fuck is she talking about—being good to me? “Yes, yes you were and I screwed up Kathy.” I’m going to play along. We have to get away from this delusional madwoman.

  “You’re damn right, you screwed up.” Kathy nods her head toward Cruz. “You came into the picture and messed things up between me and Roxanne. Everything was perfect. I had all three women. All three!” She’s starting to screech now and her hands are shaking as she held the gun, pointing it at us.

  I raise my hands and try to calm her. “Kathy—you have me now,” I say softly. I want to bring down her agitation.

  “Damn right, I have you now…you fucking bitch. You think I don’t know what the two of you are trying to do? You’re trying to stop me from killing you. It’s not going to happen. This is my plan. I’m going to kill the both of you, then I’m going to shoot myself.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” Cruz says.

  “Tell me why I don’t?” Kathy sneered.

  “Because, I’ll pull myself out of the equation and leave here.”

  “Oh, you will, will you? Why didn’t you just leave when you had the chance? I’m the one who told your father to press charges on you, all those years ago. He didn’t want to at first, and I had to sweeten the deal with giving him some money, if he would go. But then, the issues with your brother came up and he had to leave anyways. I thought I’d gotten rid of you. Now I can just do it and it’ll be nice and clean like it was before.”

  Cruz’s arms tighten around me as I inhale sharply. My god, she’d been the catalyst for so much wrong that happened in my life and Cruz’s. She’s just plain evil.

  There’s a small noise at the window and Kathy ran over, looking out of it. She turns back to us with the gun shaking in her hands. “Goddamn you!” She points it directly at Cruz. “I told you not call the cops.”

  I look at Cruz, then I glance at Kathy. “Cops?”

  “Yes, I told him to come here by himself and there are at least four to five cop cars out there!”

  “Kathy, think about what you’re saying.” Cruz moves, so that I’m behind him.

  “Moving her isn’t going to help. I’m killing us all. I’ve thought about it, now no more fucking talking. It’s time…” Kathy’s voice sounds calm.

  She’s going to do it. I sense the resolve pouring off her. She’s going to kill us. I wrap my arms around Cruz tight. If I’m going to die, I will while hold on to the man I love.

  She aims at us.

  Cruz’s muscles tense beneath my hands.

  And then…

  “Kathy Demery, come out with your hands up!”

  Kathy ran to peer out through the window.

  I feel Cruz pulling away from me and I frantically held on to him. I didn’t want her to shoot him. “No—no…” I whisper.

  “Yes, our only chance, trust me,” Cruz whispers back.

  I let him go and he eases up off the bed slowly. I wring my hands together as I watch him.

  Kathy seems lost in
whatever is happening out the window.

  Cruz is almost to her.

  Then, Kathy spun around and the gun is pointed directly at Cruz’s chest. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She shouts shrilly.

  Cruz stops right in front of her.

  Then, there’s a loud noise as the cops burst through the door. “Kathy Demery…we have you surrounded. Let your hostages go and surrender!”

  A weird type of tranquility came over Kathy’s face and suddenly, she looks older than her years.

  I scream as she raises the gun to her own head and shoots herself. It seems like slow motion as she crumples to the floor in a bloody heap. I note a gray matter on the wall with a reddish substance. Her brains seem to splatter onto the back of the wall and ooze down—all I can do—is scream.

  The cops rush in and everything became a blur with the exception of Cruz’s arms wrapping around me and holding me tight. I hold on to him and cry softly on his shoulder. It’s utter chaos and Cruz leads me out. I don’t want to let him go, even when they were separating us, so the paramedics can look at as. Finally, they just let us hold each other while they check us out. Cruz gets a lot of attention for his head and I hold on to his hand for dear life.

  “Baby, you’re going to have to let me go, so we can get on the gurneys.”

  “I don’t need a gurney—all I need is you. You need the gurney.” I look at the EMT and he seems to take pity on me. I let go of Cruz’s hand and watch as they lay him on the gurney, then put it into the back of the ambulance. I climb in and sit next to him, grabbing his hand. I wasn’t going to let him go now that I had him. “I love you Cruz.”

  “I love you too.”

  “We’re going to be okay now.”

  “Yes, we’re going to be okay.”

  Cruz looks so exhausted and I held his hand gently, as the ambulance sped down the highway. “You look tired Cruz. Can you rest?”

  “I don’t think I’ll have any choice in the matter. I’m fighting keeping my eyes open as it is.”